Solving A Shore Power Problem: 6,100 Feet of Cable Delivers Clean Energy to Pier 66 in Seattle
With the president of a leading cruise line committing to going green, offering shore power became essential for places like Pier 66. The objective? For cruise ships to switch off their engines while docking and use electricity instead, conserving fuel and reducing emissions. This change would lead to cleaner air for Seattle and other ports adopting the same practice.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟔
At that time, Pier 66 lacked a power source, so the Port of Seattle began procuring one. The solution involved laying submarine cable on the seabed alongside Seattle's shores, linking Pier 66 to renewable energy from Seattle City Light.
𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬
After 5 years of feasibility studies and permit planning, including consultations with the Department of Environmental Conservation and local fisheries, Pier 66 received the go-ahead. The Port of Seattle's studies determined that submarine cabling would be more cost-effective than terrestrial cabling, avoiding the need to construct a trench system through Seattle’s congested downtown area.
𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞
J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) was contracted to place 6,100 feet of submarine across the seafloor outside downtown Seattle. Prime contractor Orion Marine Group handled the land-side elements while Brennan installed, monitored, and secured the submarine cable from Terminal 46 to its endpoint at Pier 66.
𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬
Such a project required specific safety measures and sophisticated tools to ensure success. During an interview, Brennan’s subsea cable expert Cliff Center explained, “In the past, cables were pulled ashore by hand or with mules, using steam tugs and paddle wheelers. But today, with environmental regulations and quality expectations, state-of-the-art equipment is essential. This includes elaborate navigation suites, remote control vehicles, linear cable engines, cable counter systems, and shoot tension systems.”
𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Brennan monitored the installation underwater with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The ROV’s ultra-short baseline (USBL) acoustic positioning system provided accurate real-time tracking, ensuring the cable was correctly placed and free from obstacles.
For the final step, we placed concrete mattresses and stone atop the nearshore ends of the submarine cable to secure them.
After years of preparation, the project was completed in 2024, allowing large vessels like cruise ships to adopt more environmentally friendly practices when docking at Seattle’s Pier 66.
Thank you to all Brennan team members for their involvement in the Pier 66 Shore Power Project. We thank the Port of Seattle and Orion Marine for making this project possible.
For additional information on our work, visit us at https://www.jfbrennan.com.
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J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan) is a fourth-generation, family-owned marine construction firm specializing in environmental remediation, dam construction, commercial dive, harbor management, and submarine cable services. Working closely with public and private owners of water-based infrastructure since 1919, Brennan operates throughout the coastal and inland waterways of the United States.
©2024 J.F. Brennan Company