Port of Long Beach’s Cordero hails ‘Green Port’ achievements

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero heralded the twentieth anniversary of the Port’s Green Port program which has resulted in major reductions in truck, cargo-handling equipment, and ship emissions that were achieved at the same time as record container volume growth.

Speaking to an audience of over 900 people at the Long Beach Convention Center, Cordero said: “Our state of our Port is getting greener serving as a model for the maritime industry. This is the true narrative for the stakeholders to have collaborated with us in the San Peter Bay Complex. Our policies and our programs are transforming this great love of maritime trade environmentally and operationally. Our operations are more efficient and more sustainable even while our terminal operators and our dock workers are handling record cargo volumes.”

Cordero noted that a year after the Port embarked on its Green Port program, it began a collaboration with the Port of Los Angeles embarking on the Clean Air Action Plan: “A year later, the Port of Long Beach and LA signed the Clean Air Action Plan, creating a foundation for some of the groundbreaking new technologies and procedures that would be essential to cleaning up the port. That included a clean truck program that removed 16,000 dirty, aging trucks from our highways and replaced them with newer cleaner models in just four years.”

Cordero praised the partnership with the Port of Los Angeles: “I will refer to the paramount need for maximum collaboration between the two ports, Long Beach and Los Angeles in the interests of the state of California in San Pedro Bay Complex.”

To reduce vessel emissions by ships loading and unloading at the Port, to require vessels to turn off their diesel-burning engines and shift to electrical power from the power grid: “The Port also pioneered shore power, which keeps shifts from burning diesel fuel while in the Port of Long Beach. We were one of the pioneers in really helping to move shore power forward for container vessels. And then as it moved forward, the State [of California] looked at adopting that statewide for all container cruise vessels, reefer vessels. When shore power was not available, the Port invested in new technologies like a pollution capture system to ensure diesel exhaust is kept out of our air. And there is the Green Flag program, which incentivizes ships to slow down as they approach the Port, reducing emissions and limiting the impact on local communities.

Cordero asked participants to “kindly turn your attention to these numbers – 92. 71. 98. They represent empirical data supporting clear and undisputed accomplishments of emissions reduction at the Port of Long Beach per our commitment as expressed in the Green Port policy adopted in January 2005. This is the scientific data that shows a résumé of success:

• 92 is the percentage reduction in diesel particulate matter stemming from port-related operations. These are the tiny particles in emissions from ships, trains, and trucks.
• 71 is the percentage reduction in nitrogen oxides or Nox. These are the ozone-forming gases created by fossil fuels in the engines of cars, trucks, and buses.
• 98 is the percentage reduction in sulfur oxides, or Sox, which are the colorless gases that create smog.

Now, here are two more numbers – 100 and zero. Our goal is to push 92, 71, and 98 to 100.”

Cordero thanked the Port’s Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal for her support of the Port’s cleanup efforts as well as the support of Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

Cordero also thanked Port staff members for their efforts. One in particular was Heather Tomley, Managing Director, Planning and Environmental Affairs: “who has been here since the beginning. She is the face and the subject matter expert of the Green Port policy.” Tomley has been an unsung hero but also a rising star in the Port of Long Beach’s green development. Another rising star is Port Chief Harbor Engineer Suzanne Plezia, who heads the ‘Pier Wind’ offshore wind port project. Both women reflect the new leadership at the nation’s second-largest Port.

Cordero also acknowledged that success would not have been possible without the cooperation of terminal operators, ocean carriers, harbor truckers, and Longshore labor represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).

Long Beach Successes

He cited several recent successes that have advanced clean port and zero energy goals:

1. Establishment of a renewable hydrogen facility with Toyota Motor North America: “The dawn of renewable hydrogen era is here thanks to this collaboration.”
2. In the fall, the Port of Long Beach “welcomed the opening of the newest heavy-duty vehicle charging depot in the port, where class 8 zero-emissions trucks can power up on electricity built and operated by 4 Gen Logistics. The facility features 30 new hyper-fast chargers to quickly repower the company’s growing fleet of z-e trucks. The facility is the largest charging depot at any North American port. As a side note, I applaud 4 Gen for converting its fleet to z-e (zero emission) models, a decade before California’s goal for z-e trucking. In addition to the 4 Gen station, we have two charging units at the port’s terminal access center and 26 charging spots at the Watt-e-v depot -- with more on the way. we also saw groundbreakings for two new charging depots in the port in 2024 …coming up next week, we’ll add 44 charging units for trucks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Forum Mobility, thus surpassing one hundred public charging units in the port. That is more than any other port in the country.”
3. A new microgrid project, “which has a solar power and innovative battery storage technology that offsets part of our Security Center power demand and provides off-grid emergency power “to both the security center and the Port’s pilots.
4. There are “about 457 zero-emission trucks in operation so far … About $60 million has been distributed so far to support truck purchases and charging stations. Let me publicly thank the cargo owners for their financial contributions to zero-emission transformation via the clean truck fine. And as we transition to zero emissions, we expect our electric, our electrical power consumption to increase sixfold by 2030 …”
5. In 2012, the Port adopted “the Green Ship program to provide financial incentives for shipping lines to deploy their newest, cleanest cargo vessels to our port.”
6. Cordero said the Port is “also intent on collaborating internationally. In 2024, our Port furthered green shipping corridor agreements with the Port of Shanghai and Singapore. Now the transpacific trade route is the most important international trade corridor and these ports are some of the busiest in the world. We believe these agreements demonstrate the promise of green shipping corridors where there will be a new normal with container vessels … Today ocean carriers are ordering cleaner lower carbon-emitting ships. These are lines with methanol ammonia, LNG-capable ships on odor. This represents 73 new ships of 13,000 to 16,000 in size. Many of which will join the green shipping corridor.”
7. In 2005, the port “started the green flag program where cargo ships slow to 12 knots when near the port. Slower speeds generate less emissions.

Container Volumes Grow

Cordero praised the container volumes achieved by the port’s container terminals: “Our marine terminal operators and dockworkers hit new cargo heights in 2024 — achieving several consecutive months of year-over-year records. in October, the port moved nearly 1 million cargo containers — the most in a single month in our 113-year history. in total, we moved a record 9.6 million containers — making 2024 our busiest year ever.”

Port Terminal operators, hit new levels of operational excellence in 2024:

• International Transportation Service (ITS) started“with literally just a few containers moved in January and then finished the year strong. That is a comeback for certain. They also saw two Zim Shipping Line services start last year.”
• Total Transport International (TTI) broke records, including a worldwide record “for the most moves on a container ship.”
• Long Beach Container Terminal received a $35M federal grant to help fund new zero-emissions vehicles for its electrification project: “to move closer to completely zero-emissions operations and improve overall terminal efficiency. To date, LBCT has transitioned 67% of its cargo handling equipment to electric power zero-emissions operations and improved overall terminal efficiency.”
• Stevedoring Service of America (SSA) on Pier A “posted impressive rail cargo volumes in 2024 and also welcomed an expanded California and South Pacific service operated by the Wonderful company’s Neptune Pacific direct shipping line.