The CAAP Air Quality Awards originated in 2007, after the
ports approved the historic San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan. Port
tenants and other port-related businesses are eligible to submit award entries,
which are judged by a panel composed of port staff and representatives from the
South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board and
the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Awards this year were given in three categories, including:
Air Quality Leadership at the Corporate Level, where the
recipients were global shipping and logistics company Wallenius Wilhelmsen
Logistics (WWL); and container transportation, logistics and terminal company
OOCL USA.
In 2012, WWL’s new, ultra-modern Salome vessel was the
first to qualify for an incentive under the Port of Long Beach’s Green Ship
Incentive Program, a voluntary clean air initiative that rewards ocean carriers
whose ships are equipped with Tier II or III engines.
In 2012, OOCL signed a “green” lease with the Port of Long
Beach pledging to reduce harmful emissions by 50 percent, even as the company
plans to double growth. OOCL says it plans
to achieve this by using shore power to reduce emissions while at port, as well
as by continuing its participation in the ports’ Vessel Speed Reduction
Program, an initiative that involves the lowering of vessel speeds to reduce
emissions when ships approach the port. Also in 2012, OOCL joined the Port of
Los Angeles’ Environmental Ship Index incentive program, a voluntary clean air
initiative that rewards ocean carriers for bringing their newest and cleanest
vessels to the Port of Los Angeles.
The second category in which companies were honored was Innovative
Air Quality Improvement Technologies, and the two recipients were Foss Maritime
Co. and APL.
In 2012, Foss voluntarily retrofitted another tugboat for
operation in the harbor as well, creating the world’s second hybrid tug.
APL, meanwhile, was the first company to install and test
“seawater scrubber” technology on a container ship calling at the two ports.
The technology involved the installation of a single low-maintenance seawater
scrubbing device on the ship’s three auxiliary engines, which helped reduce contaminants
in the exhaust stream and removed waste from the wash water prior to discharge
overboard. The scrubber reduced SOx emissions by as much as 99 percent and 70
percent for PM when running on HFO (heavy fuel oil), and 97 percent for SOx and
78 percent for PM when using MGO (marine gas oil).
The third award category was Innovative Operations That
Improve Air Quality. This award went to trucking company Knight Transportation.
Half of the company’s roughly 300 trucks operating at the
two ports are 2010 or newer, which exceeds current requirements. Engines on the
2010 and newer trucks have reduced CO₂ emissions by about 18 percent and
NOx emissions by 90 percent, according to estimates. Knight has also modified about
97 percent of its van trailers with blade technology that reduces fuel
consumption by seven percent. In addition, 100 percent of its tractors are
equipped with diesel-fired bunk heaters, thus reducing a driver’s need to idle
trucks during the cooler winter months.
“Because of the innovative initiatives of our partners,
overall diesel emissions are down by an amazing 75 percent, and we continue to
advance toward our goal of zero emissions,” Port of Long Beach Acting Deputy
Executive Director Noel Hacegaba said. “We
congratulate these companies whose initiatives are setting the standard for
ports around the world.”
