BY John Feldhouse

The Not-so-greener Port

The Port of Seattle is a major hub for international trade, transportation and travel in the northwest United States. Established in 1911, the port has quickly grown, becoming the 7th busiest US seaport in 2007. From its roots until now, the port has always thought of itself as progressive. The port envisions itself as one of the “cleanest, greenest, most energy-efficient port[s] in the nation.” Visually the port has attempted to align itself with its twentieth-century mission of being the cleanest, greenest port.

The three bars of the logo suggest air, land and sea – the three realms where the Port operates – with green running through the center. They also represent the three parts of sustainability: economic development, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

Yoshitani intends the logo to demonstrate to the community the Port’s commitment to sustainability, and also inspire Port employees to incorporate sustainable practices in everything they do.
— From this semi-press release

The prior mark was a little too ambiguous and didn’t clearly identify the port; and the color scheme was questionable at best. The new mark is headed in the right direction but lacks proper execution but, yes, it’s still ambiguous. The color scheme is improved but the typography is weak. The R/T ligature had potential but was not rendered with care. The “air/land/sea” mark is clever but not powerful enough to represent the three elements. Right now the mark is messy and blue — which doesn’t say clean nor green. The identity is so close to being mnemonic but isn’t there yet.

\n\nThe Port of Seattle is a major hub for international trade, transportation and travel in the northwest United States. Established in 1911, the port has quickly grown, becoming the 7th busiest US seaport in 2007. From its roots until now, the port has always thought of itself as progressive. The port envisions itself as one of the “cleanest, greenest, most energy-efficient port[s] in the nation.” Visually the port has attempted to align itself with its twentieth-century mission of being the cleanest, greenest port.

Many thanks to our ADV @ UnderConsideration Partners