By Karen Robes Meeks
The Port of Long Beach recently received a financial boost to help its marine partners have more environmental-friendly equipment.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will give the port $2.4 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Act funds to help Stevedoring Services of America (SSA), Foss Maritime and Curtin Maritime toward equipment that is zero-emission or the cleanest available.
The funds will allow SSA to make three rubber-tired gantry cranes electric and allow Foss and Curtin to modernize four tugboats with the cleanest-running engines.
“Every step we take to cut air pollution is one toward our ultimate goal of being the world’s first zero-emission seaport,” said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. “We thank the EPA for providing funds to facilitate these projects and improve the health of our community.”
The equipment is expected to be in place by late 2019.
