Port Comparison¶
All 19 priority ports side-by-side. Click column headers to sort.
| Port Complex | Tier | Pollutants (t/yr) | Exposed Population | Est. Health Cost ($/yr) | At-Berth Controls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | CARB Regulated | 3,200 | 1,500,000 | Baseline (regulated) | Yes — CARB |
| Oakland | CARB Regulated | 440 | 442,000 | Baseline (regulated) | Yes — CARB |
| New York / New Jersey | Priority 1 | 2,600 | 3,200,000 | $150M+ | None |
| Virginia (Norfolk/Hampton Roads) | Priority 1 | 1,300 (scaled) | 400,000+ | $75M+ | None |
| New Orleans | Priority 2 | 1,200 | 800,000 | $70M+ | None |
| Houston / Galveston | Priority 2 | 1,000 | 1,500,000 | $100M+ | None |
| Corpus Christi | Priority 2 | 900 (scaled) | 120,000+ | $55M+ | None |
| Charleston | Priority 2 | 900 (scaled) | 250,000+ | $55M+ | None |
| Seattle / Tacoma | Priority 2 | 900 | 600,000 | $45M+ | None |
| Beaumont | Priority 2 | 700 (scaled) | 150,000+ | $45M+ | None |
| Savannah | Priority 2 | 650 | 200,000 | $30M+ | None |
| Mobile | Priority 2 | 600 (scaled) | 190,000+ | $38M+ | None |
| Baltimore | Priority 2 | 550 | 350,000 | $35M+ | None |
| Miami / PortMiami | Priority 2 | 550 (scaled) | 300,000+ | $45M+ | Partial (cruise shore power) |
| Port Everglades | Priority 3 | 400 | 180,000 | $20M+ | None |
| Philadelphia / Camden | Priority 3 | 400 (scaled) | 400,000+ | $40M+ | None |
| Jacksonville | Priority 3 | 350 | 150,000 | $15M+ | None |
| Brunswick | Priority 3 | 300 (scaled) | 35,000+ | $20M+ | None |
| Duluth-Superior | Priority 3 | 250 | 55,000 | $42M+ | None |
Sources: ICCT Port Emissions Screening (Sept 2024); Port Health Watch analysis using EPA methodology. Pollutant figures are combined criteria pollutants (PM2.5, NOx, SOx) at berth. "Scaled" indicates estimates derived from ICCT screening scaled against cargo type and vessel calls (exact port-wide inventory not published). Population figures represent below-median-income residents within the port impact zone.
| Savannah | Priority 2 | 650 | 200,000 | TBD | None | | Baltimore | Priority 2 | 550 | 350,000 | TBD | None | | Port Everglades | Priority 3 | 400 | 180,000 | TBD | None | | Jacksonville | Priority 3 | 350 | 150,000 | TBD | None |
| Duluth-Superior | Priority 3 | 190 | 55,000 | $42M+ | None |
Sources: ICCT Port Emissions Screening (Sept 2024); Port Health Watch analysis using EPA methodology. Pollutant figures are combined criteria pollutants (PM2.5, NOx, SOx) at berth. Population figures represent below-median-income residents within the port impact zone.
Key Observations¶
The California gap is stark. The two CARB-regulated ports (LA/Long Beach and Oakland) have mandatory at-berth emissions controls. The remaining 17 priority ports — serving over 9 million below-median-income residents combined — have effectively none. PortMiami's partial cruise shore power is the only other operational at-berth emissions control at a major U.S. port.
Emissions don't correlate with regulation. New York/New Jersey and Virginia emit more at-berth pollutants than Oakland but have zero mandatory controls. New Orleans emits nearly three times what Oakland does, with no regulation.
The technology exists. CARB-certified barge-mounted emissions capture systems achieving 99% PM2.5 and 95% NOx reduction are commercially deployed in California. The barrier is regulatory, not technological.
Tanker-dominated ports face distinct constraints. Houston, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, and New Orleans — petroleum-heavy ports — cannot rely on shore power (safety constraints with volatile cargo). Barge-mounted capture is the only viable at-berth control for these ports.
Small metros face elevated per-capita exposure. Duluth-Superior, Brunswick, and Mobile's smaller metros absorb concentrated emissions into smaller populations — elevated per-capita exposure is the defining argument for these ports, not absolute volume.
NJ EJ Law creates leverage. Camden (Philadelphia / Camden port) and the New Jersey side of NY/NJ are covered by New Jersey's 2020 Environmental Justice Law — the nation's strongest state EJ framework.
See the interactive map for a geographic view, or browse individual port assessments.