Supporting Port Houston’s decarbonization journey

Ports around the world face the growing pressure to reduce emissions without compromising operational performance. For Port Houston, one of the largest gateways in the US, developing a clear understanding of where emissions originate is the first step towards targeted action on climate and air quality.

Ramboll is actively supporting Port Houston with the development of its first comprehensive, port-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory through its PORT SHIFT initiative, funded by US EPA’s Clean Ports Program. The multi-year initiative is designed to support the transition towards cleaner technologies, strengthen the port’s resilience to extreme weather events, and advance more sustainable port operations. As a foundational workstream, the GHG inventory will provide a consistent, evidence-based picture of emissions across the port ecosystem.

Our work expands on previous inventories, which focused primarily on goods movement by looking across port operations and value chain activities. This effort will create a broader baseline beyond goods movement operations, to also evaluate buildings and facilities’ energy use and selected supply chain emissions, enabling Port Houston to understand both the scale of its emissions and the areas where it can influence change.

Our experts are leading the emissions quantification, data collection and management, inventory development, stakeholder coordination, and technical documentation, as well as applying internationally recognized GHG accounting methodologies and industry best practices. Ramboll is working closely with Port Houston and its partners to define appropriate inventory boundaries, identify reliable data sources, and reflect real-world operating conditions.

Once completed, the inventory will provide a practical foundation for prioritizing sustainable initiatives, strengthening collaboration across the port’s tenants and users, and advancing cleaner, more resilient operations.