Port of Long Beach heralds its green transportation initiatives

Keeping in line with its myriad sustainability initiatives, the Port of Long Beach (POLB) recently announced it has rolled out two new incentive-based programs, for a cumulative $57.4 million, focused on accelerating emissions reductions through the purchase of zero-emissions cargo handling equipment and cleaner harbor craft.

“This program is all about making strides in operational efficiency and sustainability, rapidly and responsibly,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero, in a statement. “It is a reflection of not only our dedication to innovation but also our responsibility towards the community and the environment.”

POLB officials said that funding for these incentive programs is a part of what is called

SystemWide Investment in Freight Transport (SWIFT), which it described as a pioneering initiative funded by the California State Transportation Agency’s Port and Freight Infrastructure Program. And they added that SWIFT is designed to support Port modernization, enhance goods movement efficiency and reduce environmental impacts on neighboring communities.

Funding for this initiative is split evenly between the Zero-Emission Terminal Transformation and Harbor Craft Business Continuity and Emission Reduction programs, and is comprised of the following:

• Zero-Emission Terminal Transformation Program, which allocates $28.7 million in incentives for purchasing zero-emission cargo handling equipment and battery-electric CHE charging equipment. All cargo handling equipment being tested must be manually operated; and
• Commercial Harbor Craft Incentive Program: Provides another $28.7 million to support upgrades that meet advanced environmental standards for harbor craft

POLB is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of its Green Port Policy this year which it said, “has led to aggressive, industry-leading programs to improve air and water quality, protect marine wildlife and implement sustainable practices.

In a recent interview with LM, POLB’s Cordero said that the reason POLB decided to really focus on environmental initiatives is because he thinks the industry doesn't get credit enough in terms of what it is doing to better air quality, water quality, and neighborhoods.

“Now, there are expectations by some that they think we're not doing enough, but at least for the Port of Long Beach, the empirical data shows that if you go back 20 years, the improvements that we've made in terms of air quality at the port have been significant,” he said. “Where we're at today is, I think we've accomplished, or at least proven, that we were committed to do that, and it wasn't easy. I mean, anytime you transform any sector in any way from the status quo, it's not going to be easy. You don't do this overnight. The good news is, what we've been able to do is take advantage of technology as it presents itself. We went from dirty diesel trucks—if you asked anybody who was here in 2005 and prior to that—the trucks drayage sector in the San Pedro Bay complex was horrible.”
We had dilapidated trucks that came on to the port, or these port drivers, not port employees; they were independent operators who bought trucks secondhand from the long-haul carriers. Those trucks already had 200,000 miles. You could probably buy a truck back then for $5,000. They were dilapidated, literally with black smoke coming out of tail pipes. Most of them didn't even have mud guards, or maybe they had one. The point being is it was an unregulated, unmonitored, and unacceptable component of transportation at ports. What we were able to do is transform that.”

That transformation, said Cordero, was a combination of the port, its stakeholders, trucking companies, regulators, to a certain extent, and elected officials. When POLB’s Green Port policy was rolled out in 2005, Cordero said there was a lot of debate about it, as to whether it is a good thing or if it going to increase costs at the port or now deter customers from coming to the Port of Long Beach because of these environmental initiatives.

“The future for the Port of Long Beach is the implementation of being part of the renewable energy answer for the state of California,” said Cordero. “Our governor has a vision that by 2045, California would have 25 gigawatts of wind energy, renewable energy, because our goal is to have 100% renewable energy long term. No matter where you fall on the energy solutions or options, there's a consensus that energy is now a security issue. Today, look at the energy demand now for the Port of Long Beach, as we move towards increased electrification, that energy demand is going to be six-fold in another five years. That's not too long. And it's going to be a similar conversation for the country and the world. Now, China already has 25 gigawatts of wind energy, and our goal is 2045.

However you fall with regard to the environmental climate change and energy solutions, I think there's a consensus and agreement that not one source is a fit-all for the future, in terms of our security, which means we're going to have to be dependent on fossil fuel-related energy sources for quite a while. We're moving into the conversation about hydrogen, green hydrogen, and we're also implementing micro grid technology at the Port of Long Beach. What we're doing is a portfolio of energy sources so that we have security, we have resiliency, and in the future, we will continue to be environmental stewards, as we promised to be back in 2005.”

Since its Green Port Policy was introduced in 2005, POLB has reduced emissions across the board, with diesel soot emissions down 92%, nitrogen oxides emissions down 71%, and sulfur oxides emissions down 98%.