Container Freight Port Again Leads Environmental Drive to Zero Emissions

US – We have often seen the US west coast container freight ports take a lead when it comes to environmental matters and now the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has preliminarily awarded $41 million dollars to the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) for the Zero-Emission and Near Zero-Emission Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) project. The total project cost for this initial phase is $82,568,872, with partners providing 50.2% in match funding.

The Zero and Near Zero-Emission Freight Facilities project, proposed with support from Toyota, Kenworth, and Shell, some details of which we illustrated in a previous story, aims to provide a large-scale ‘shore to store’ plan and a hydrogen fuel-cell-electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement. The initiative will help reduce emissions by 465 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas and 0.72 weighted tonnes of NOx, ROG and PM10.

The project is part of California Climate Investments, a state-wide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, commented:

"The Port of Los Angeles is showing the world that we don’t need to choose between environmental stewardship and economic growth, and this funding will help put zero emissions goods movement within our reach. I am grateful to CARB for this investment in America’s Port, as we continue to lead the drive toward a more sustainable future."

The Port of Los Angeles, which claims to have become a global maritime leader with respect to low emission technology, will develop the project in several phases, ultimately encompassing initiatives in Southern California, the Central Coast Area, and Merced County. The initial phase is designed to kick-start the leap to a new class of goods movement vehicles, while reducing emissions in designated communities.

The project phases will include:

• Ten new zero-emissions hydrogen fuel-cell-electric Class 8 on-road trucks on the Kenworth T680 platform will be developed through a collaboration between Kenworth and Toyota to move cargo from the LA ports throughout the LA basin, as well as ultimately to inland locations. The trucks will be operated by Toyota Logistics Services (4), UPS (3), Total Transportation Services (2), and Southern Counties Express (1).
• Two new large capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fuelling stations will be developed by Shell in Wilmington and Ontario, California. The new stations will join three additional stations located at Toyota facilities around LA to form an integrated, five-station heavy-duty hydrogen fuelling network. Together, they will provide multiple sources of hydrogen throughout the region, including over 1 tonne of 100% renewable hydrogen per day at the heavy-duty station to be operated by Shell, enabling zero-emissions freight transport. Stations supplied by Air Liquide at Toyota Logistics Services in Long Beach and Toyota Technical Center in Gardena will serve as important research and development locations.
• Expanded use of zero-emissions technology in off-road and warehouse equipment, including the first two zero-emissions yard tractors to be operated at the Port of Hueneme, as well as the expanded use of zero-emissions forklifts at Toyota’s port warehouse.

The Shore to Store project complements the extensive zero-emissions technology that is already under development for testing at Los Angeles terminals through partnership with the California Energy Commission. These investments showcase a clear, at-scale vision of the zero-emissions supply chain of the future and provide a model for a zero-emissions movement of goods. Port Executive Director Gene Seroka, said:

“This matching grant from CARB’s California Climate Investments programme is critically needed funding support to develop and commercialise the next generation of clean port equipment and drayage truck, as well as the infrastructure to support it. This grant funds a public-private collaboration that is representative of our commitment to being a ‘market maker’ through collaborative technology and fuel infrastructure development with industry leaders like Toyota, Kenworth and Shell.”

Review and input on project implementation will be provided by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.