New Electric Crane Debuts at POLA

By Mark Edward Nero

SA Recycling, Southern California’s largest recycling operation and exporter of scrap metal, unveiled a new electric mobile crane at its Port of Los Angeles terminal this week.

A live demonstration of the crane was held during the May 15 event, which was attended by numerous port officials, as well as various public officials, or their designated representatives, including members of the state Assembly and US House of Representatives.

The $6.3 million Liebherr 550 electric crane replaces a model year 1987 diesel ship-loading crane, and is the port complex’s first electric mobile ship-loading crane for non-container cargos. The crane was acquired in part through a $1.3 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, as part of efforts between the Port of LA and its customers to transition to cleaner equipment.

The port has said the crane is expected to eliminate 74 tons of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), three tons of particulate matter (PM), three tons of hydrocarbons (HC) and 14 tons of carbon monoxide (CO) over the life of the equipment.

POLA Investing in Electric Crane Project

By Mark Edward Nero

The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has authorized plans by metal recycling company SA Recycling to replace an older diesel mobile crane with a new crane that will transition to an all-electric mode when an electrification project is complete by next January.

Under the plan, the crane will initially be operated with a cleaner Tier 4 diesel engine. Then, after January 2017, it will run solely on electricity except for no more than 12 hours per year for standard maintenance.

When the newly installed Tier 4 engine replaces the existing 950-horsepower diesel-powered Tier 2 crane, it is expected to eliminate 74 tons of nitrogen oxides, three tons of particulate matter, three tons of hydrocarbons, and 14 tons of carbon monoxide emissions over the life of the equipment.

The new crane will be used at SA Recycling’s scrap metal recycling, processing and export operations at the Port of L.A. to load processed metals onto vessels to be shipped overseas.

The project is funded in part by a US Environmental Protection Agency $1.3 million Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant to the port. The remaining cost of the $5 million crane replacement project is funded by SA Recycling, which will own, operate and maintain the crane.

The Port of L.A. was one of four US ports to receive a DERA grant last year. The grants are aimed at reducing diesel emissions and improving air quality, particularly for communities near port operations.