A new plan for the state maritime industry looks to boost jobs and economic activity and hopes to bring the industry in line with the state's clean energy goals.
The Michigan Maritime Strategy is a first-of-its-kind plan aiming to achieve those goals over the next decade.
State environmental and economic officials along with shipping industry leaders crafted the plan. The strategy seeks to promote workforce development, boost trade by modernizing ports and expand clean energy use across maritime sectors.
Simon Belisle is with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. He says stakeholders are looking into alternative fuel methods to reduce emissions from cargo ships, ferries and commercial boats.
He says research has provided insight into “all sorts of biodiesels that are based out of soy products that are not necessarily food products, but the remnants of production of food from soy."
Renewable biodiesel usage on the Great Lakes has already been undertaken by NOAA, who have a fleet of research vehicles completely powered by B100 soy biodiesel.
The report also points to other research efforts, like recreation vehicles and ferries that run on electric or hybrid technology.
Ultimately though, Belisle says state officials and the industry must be able to provide all fuel the market demands.
Still, he pointed to other efforts to drive down emissions. Such as uniform availability of shore power, or local power, for vessels when they dock.
He says that would “reduce the amount of time they would have to run their diesel engines while they're docked and being loaded or unloaded.”
In addition, the plan seeks to promote maritime careers in K-12 classrooms.
Michigan's ports contributed around $4.7 billion and 17,000 jobs to the state economy in 2023, according to the report.
