The Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) on May 21 honored the Port of Tacoma’s Maritime Center with its 2026 Environmental Stewardship Award.
The award recognizes environmental cleanup and habitat renewal on Port property along the Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways near downtown Tacoma. The Maritime Center will include Tacoma Public Schools’ Maritime|253 skills center alongside the Port’s new business office.
To prepare the site for construction, the Port’s environmental team coordinated a substantial cleanup of contamination from previous industrial uses of the property. The Port removed approximately 39,000 tons of contaminated soil and safely disposed of it in a permitted landfill.
The Port also did an extensive restoration of the shoreline, removing failing docks and bulkheads, and pulling out more than 300 creosote-treated pilings. The new shoreline will improve water quality and provide habitat for salmon.
The Maritime Center site will include nearly 100 plant species and green infrastructure for on-site stormwater management. The Port’s new business office will feature 700 solar panels across 22,000 square feet of rooftop, which will provide a significant portion of the building’s power needs. A solar paneled parking canopy will also generate clean energy for the Port’s EV fleet.
“We’re honored to have the Port’s environmental leadership and the hard work of our staff recognized by the WPPA,” said Port of Tacoma Commission President Dick Marzano. “The Maritime Center project reflects the Port’s commitment to center sustainability as we work to grow the economy and connect more people in Pierce County with family-wage careers.”
Maritime|253 will open this fall, offering career and technical education to high school juniors and seniors from multiple school districts. Enrollment is now open for four pathways: Advanced maritime manufacturing, port operations and logistics, technology, and sustainability.
The Port’s business office will open in the spring of 2027, featuring new Commission meeting chambers, improving public access to meetings.
“The Maritime Center is a model for ports across Washington,” said Port of Tacoma Executive Director Eric Johnson. “It shows how we can address legacy contamination and commit to sustainability while advancing a project with vast economic and community benefits.”