Washington Maritime Blue, with 14 regional coalition partners, has been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Maritime Blue is an independent, nonprofit organization building the leadership, infrastructure and global connections to scale an equitable and sustainable blue economy. This award furthers its mission to foster thriving communities and a healthy economy and planet.

For phase one of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the EDA is awarding $30 million in planning grants to its 60 finalists.

Maritime Blue is the only finalist to be selected from Washington state. It will use the $500,000 award to integrate the region’s blue economy cluster and other sectors to achieve commercialization of new technologies that decarbonize heavy-duty transportation and reduce emissions, generate thousands of new jobs, and provide a resilient foundation for sustainable economic growth.

The vision and title of the consortium’s approach is “Build Back Blue: Green Energy to Charge the Blue Economy.” One example is the Joint Innovation Project, which includes the zero-emissions fast foil ferry for Kitsap Transit, with innovative design concepts from industry partners Glosten and Bieker Boats. Several other projects focus on the production, movement, storage and use of renewably generated hydrogen in regional hubs.

For more information on the initiatives behind the region’s Build Back Blue Challenge, visit The Washington Maritime Blue blog here.

The final proposal will be submitted to the EDA by March of 2022 for consideration of implementation funding that will range from $25 to $100 million.