Port of San Diego Celebrates 19th Annual Green Port Month

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The Port of San Diego is celebrating Green Port Month throughout September by highlighting the progress, projects, and people advancing the Port’s environmental initiatives. Since 2008, the Port has recognized September as Green Port Month to champion the safekeeping and environmental care of San Diego Bay and to raise awareness of the many programs that help create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable waterfront.

San Diego Bay is more than just a scenic and vibrant waterfront. It provides habitat for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and supports local businesses and jobs, and connects San Diego to the world. Protecting the bay requires new ways to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and create a healthier waterfront for people and the environment.

“San Diego Bay belongs to everyone, and protecting it means making sure people can experience, enjoy and connect with this incredible resource,” said Chair Ann Moore, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “Green Port Month reminds us that environmental stewardship and coastal access go hand in hand. By investing in a cleaner, healthier, and a more sustainable waterfront, we are creating a bay that people can enjoy today and for generations to come.”

Michelle White Environmental Awards
As part of the Green Port Month celebration, the Port recognized two staff members and a tenant with the Michelle White Environmental Awards during the Board of Port Commissioners meeting on September 23, 2026.

The Port created the awards in 2016 to honor the legacy of Michelle White, a former Port employee and environmental champion. This year’s award recipients include:

Port staff:

• Joshua Kellems, Communications and Community Engagement — Kellems oversees the Portside Community Academy, which has graduated more than 300 participants, and leads outreach for grant-funded projects. He builds community partnerships and keeps the public informed about environmental initiatives. He also frequently attends after-hours and weekend events to support the mission.

• Gabrielle Dengler, Communications and Community Engagement — Dengler serves on the Port’s internal Green Team, an employee group dedicated to environmental stewardship within the organization. She keeps staff informed about environmental topics and upcoming events and models sustainable practices by composting and using public transportation.

Port tenant:

• Holland America Line — Holland America Line has partnered with the Port of San Diego for more than 25 years and has used shore power at the B Street Cruise Terminal for 16 years to eliminate dockside diesel emissions. At sea, the cruise line participates in the Port’s voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction Program to lower emissions and reduce the potential for collisions with marine life.

Green Port Year in Review and Maritime Clean Air Strategy Highlights Report
The September Board meeting also marks the release of the Port’s annual Green Port Year in Review and Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS) Highlights Report.

The Green Port Year in Review looks at the Port’s environmental work during fiscal year 2026. The report highlights projects and programs that protect San Diego Bay, reduce pollution, improve energy efficiency, expand electric infrastructure, remove debris and abandoned vessels, support new blue economy projects, and provide environmental education to thousands of students.

In the past year, Port efforts helped:

• Add 1,050 linear feet of additional Coastalock tide pool units along Harbor Island and the Sweetwater Channel — the equivalent of about three football fields placed end to end.

• Collect and remove approximately 6,000 pounds of trash through the efforts of 200 Port employee volunteers.

• Remove 93 tons of sunken vessels and marine debris from Zuniga Shoals.

The MCAS Highlights Report provides an annual update on the Port’s efforts to improve air quality by reducing pollution from maritime activity. Since the MCAS was adopted in 2021, the program has met 67% of its 2026 goals and has implemented 88% percent of its 2026 objectives. Overall, through the MCAS, the Port and its many partners have committed $240 million to maritime electrification and freight efficiency from shore power enhancements, switching from diesel-powered to electric cargo handling equipment, introducing the country’s first all-electric tugboat, and more. The positive impacts on air quality from vessels plugging into shore power and using the emissions capture and control system while at berth alone have resulted in the following emission reductions:

• A 75% reduction in diesel particulate matter.

• A 63% reduction in nitrogen oxides.

• A 30% reduction in greenhouse gases.

Together, the Green Port and MCAS programs help the Port move the waterfront toward cleaner technology while supporting a variety of businesses, jobs and economic activity that depend on San Diego Bay.

Additional Green Port Month Activities
Throughout September, Green Port Month gives Port employees hands-on opportunities to practice environmental stewardship through a coastal cleanup and a staff-led thrift shop to extend the lifecycle of secondhand goods. These initiatives demonstrate how small, individual actions can contribute to the organization’s broader sustainability goals and how everyone can play a part in making sure San Diego Bay stays clean and beautiful for generations to come.