Air pollution at the Port of Los Angeles dropped in 2016 despite it handling a record amount of cargo.
From 2015 to 2016, pollution was down 13% for DPM, 10% for NOx and 14% for Sox, according to the port’s 2016 Inventory of Air Emissions.
Gene Seroka, executive director for the Port of Los Angeles, said: “The 2016 report validates the benefit of our clean air strategies in combination with improved operational efficiency.”
Container volumes up
In 2016, the port handled a record 8.8m teus, while in July, the port reported that container volumes were up 16% compared to July 2016.
For every 10,000 teus handled at the port, DPM emissions were down 89%, while NOx was down 63% and Sox down 98%.
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are also at their lowest – down 28% – for every 10,000 teus.
The port said that the ongoing trend of fewer vessel calls due to bigger ships carrying more cargo helped reduce emissions.
Environmental compliance
Other initiatives also contributed such as fleet compliance with California’s shore power regulations for an entire year without congestion and an increased use of alternative emissions capture technology when plugging into shore-side electricity is unavailable.
Increased compliance with cleaner vessel fuel regulations, continued participation in the port’s vessel speed reduction programme and growing participation in its voluntary environmental ship index programme also played a part.
The 2017 Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) to further key pollution reduction and zero emissions goals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will be finalised at the end of the year.
The Port of Los Angeles surpassed its 2020 goal for reducing the health risk of emissions from port-related activity, however, ports remain the biggest polluters in California.
The Port of Los Angeles stated: “The Port of Los Angeles, in conjunction with the Port of Long Beach, is in the final stages of preparing a 2017 Clean Air Action Plan Update.
“The update outlines a new set of aggressive near-term and long-term strategies for the nation’s busiest harbour complex to further reduce harmful air pollution from all port-related sources, assist the state in meeting aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals, and ultimately achieve zero emissions for trucks and terminal equipment.”
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source: GreenPort