EPA’s Clean Ports Program to fund zero-emission equipment at marine terminals in New Haven, New London

Marine terminals in New Haven and New London have been awarded federal grants through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program to reduce air pollution by installing zero-emission equipment.

Gateway Terminal, an Enstructure Company, will use a $34 million grant at its New Haven facility to fund the replacement of diesel-powered cargo handling equipment with electric-powered equipment. The project will include installation of charging infrastructure, and associated solar power and energy storage equipment to augment grid power.

At State Pier in New London, a $5.36 million grant will pay for equipment allowing docked ships to operate on electric shore power rather than running diesel engines or generators to power shipboard utilities.

“The Clean Ports program of the Environmental Protection Agency is intended to help modernize ports with zero-emission equipment to reduce air pollution for both, port workers and nearby communities,” said Paul Whitescarver, Chairman of the Connecticut Port Authority Board of Directors. “We have already worked with our partners Ørsted and Gateway to transform State Pier into an advanced marine terminal and the East Coast’s premier offshore wind assembly hub. Now, the ability to power docked vessels from the electric grid instead of diesel engines and generators further modernizes State Pier and strengthens efforts to improve air quality for the region.”

“This transformative grant will accelerate our transition to clean, electric-powered equipment and infrastructure at the Gateway Terminal. This investment will allow us to reduce diesel consumption and position our terminal at the forefront of sustainable port operations,” said Enstructure Co-CEO’s Philippe De Montigny and Matthew Satnick. “This investment is pivotal in advancing our terminal’s efficiency and a cleaner future for the entire New Haven community. We would like to thank our partners at the New Haven Port Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency, Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and Representative DeLauro for their support on this critical effort.”

The Connecticut projects are two of the 55 awarded totaling nearly $3 billion across 27 states and U.S. territories. The grants are funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — the largest investment in combating climate change and promoting clean energy in history. In announcing the projects elected during a competitive grant application process, the EPA issued a statement saying the Ports initiative helps operators of these facilities address public health and environmental impacts on surrounding communities.

The goals of the Clean Ports Programs are to:

• Build a foundation for the port sector to transition over time to fully zero-emissions operations, positioning ports to serve as a catalyst for transformational change across the freight sector.

• Reduce diesel pollution (including criteria pollutants, GHGs, and air toxics) in near-port communities, especially those with environmental justice concerns.
• Help ensure that meaningful community engagement and emissions reduction planning become a part of port industry standard practices.

The grant will allow the Port Authority to complete work that was part of the rebuilding project that transformed State Pier into an advanced, heavy-lift-capable terminal accommodating offshore wind turbine components and traditional break-bulk cargo operations such as steel, coil steel, lumber, and copper billets.

As part of that larger project, the Port Authority worked with Eversource Energy to install two “power vaults” necessary to accommodate more electric-powered equipment.

Grant funds will be used to install a third power vault and purchase “an innovative Mobile Cable Positioning Device (CPD) that will facilitate vessel connections to shore power vaults installed at the berth,” according to the grant application. The CPD resembles a mobile crane with a boom that can extend cables to a docked vessel. The additional vault will allow the mobile unit to serve a wider variety of vessel types and sizes.

In addition to creating more union jobs for the installation work at both ports, the overriding goal of reducing air pollution is also aimed at addressing environmental justice issues for residents living near such major industrial facilities.