Port of Long Beach approves $58 million for clean technology

A commitment by the Port of Long Beach to become the world’s first zero-emissions port advanced Monday with the authorization of $58.2 million to purchase and deploy additional zero-emissions, human-operated cargo handling equipment, cleaner harbor craft and a zero-emission locomotive.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the expenditure, part of a larger grant from California’s State Transportation Agency for System-Wide Investment in Freight Transport (SWIFT). This initiative is designed to lead the deployment of the cleanest technologies, support goods movement efficiency and reduce environmental impacts on neighboring communities.

The investment will allow tenants and operators to:

• Acquire 61 units of zero-emission, human-operated cargo-handling equipment, along with 21 chargers to power them;
• Deploy six zero-emission and five cleaner harbor craft that displace older diesel engines;
• And advance one zero-emission locomotive.

“Expanding our clean technology portfolio is critical to the future of goods movement and to the health of the communities around us,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “We are not waiting for the future to arrive, we are shaping it and leading the way by deploying the latest zero-emission equipment to make a difference today.”

“The Port of Long Beach continues to invest in zero-emission infrastructure and deploy a suite of incentives for early adopters of these technologies,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “This latest round of funding builds on the Port’s broader SWIFT program, which is accelerating the transition to zero-emission operations while improving the reliability and efficiency of cargo movement.”