The world's largest cruise shipowner, Carnival Corporation, marked a maritime milestone on June 18th, commemorating 20 years since its first vessel connected to shoreside electrical power in Seattle. This achievement highlights the partnership with the Port of Seattle in quieter and cleaner cruising.
On June 18, 2005, the Diamond Princess ship—operating under Princess Cruises—anchored at Terminal 30 and became Seattle's first ship to receive power from the city grid rather than running its diesel generators.
Seattle became only the second port globally, after Juneau, to employ this technology—another early investment by Princess Cruises aimed at reducing CO emissions.
Shore power enables cruise ships to cease operation of their engines while docked, drawing electricity directly from land—a state-of-the-art solution now recognized worldwide. Carnival’s Alaska operations executive highlighted the company’s pride in initiating this innovation in Seattle and acknowledged the significance of the long-established partnership with the Port, especially given how novel the technology was two decades ago.
With the opening of the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal (Pier 91) in 2009, Carnival transferred its shore power equipment there, maintaining a continuous plug-in presence at that berth. Subsequently, all three Seattle cruise berths have been equipped with shore power, following encouragement by the Port, which credited this collaboration for the expansion of connections.
A port commissioner praised Carnival’s leadership in advancing shared sustainable goals with Seattle City Light and other partners.
This cooperative focus also catalyzed growth for Seattle’s own Watts Marine, a company now regarded as a global authority in shore power solutions. Watts completed the installation at Pier 66 in September 2024, bringing all three berths into the electric era. Their involvement dates back to the mid-2000s, and they have overseen the installations at all three Seattle terminals.
Today, Seattle stands among a select group of home ports capable of simultaneously supplying power to three docked cruise ships, each connecting to the local grid rather than generating emissions. As Port of Seattle leadership confirmed, this capability delivers improved air quality across Elliott Bay and solidifies the city’s standing as a leader in maritime environmental stewardship.
With Carnival helming the initiative from its earliest implementation, Seattle’s shore power story continues to evolve—from a single berth innovation to a full waterfront transformation, powered by collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision for sustainable cruising.