By Karen Robes Meeks
The Port of Long Beach recently secured a $50 million grant from the California Air Resources Board to demonstrate a zero-emissions supply chain.
The port will test close to 100 pieces of zero-emissions terminal equipment and trucks at the ports of Long Beach, Oakland and Stockton, as well as create a near-zero emissions tugboat, deploy two clean ships and push workforce development programs.
“The Board of Harbor Commissioners envision a zero-emissions future in Long Beach,” said Board President Tracy Egoscue. “This project accelerates the commercialization for the technology we need to get there, incorporating seaports, terminal operators, equipment manufacturers, schools and universities from all around the state. The Harbor Commission is very thankful to the California Air Resources Board for seeing the potential in this project.”
The grant funds:
• Thirty-three zero-emissions yard tractors and one top handler
at Pier C
• Five electric trucks at Shippers Transport
• Two charging outlets at the Clean Trucks Program Center
• Two Matson container vessels with Tier 3 engines, and
• Harley Marine electric-drive tugboats
The demonstration will see a clean ship come to SSA Marine Pier C lead by an electric-drive tugboat and then plug into shore power. Battery-electric yard tractors and top handler cargo-handling equipment will move the cargo off the ship and put it on an electric truck to Shippers Transport, an off-dock container yard.
Oakland will receive nearly $9 million to be allocated toward 10 battery-powered trucks for port tenant Shippers Transport Express and five zero-emission yard trucks. The port also plans to invest up to $2 million toward building battery-changing stations.
“Our goal is to minimize the impact of containerized freight transportation on air quality,” said Richard Sinkoff, director of environmental programs and planning at the Port. “Zero-emission vehicles play a big role in that effort.”
The $102 million overall project is expected to be completed by June 2021 and includes $52 million in private and public matching funds.
