Port Briefs: State Funds POLB’s Zero Emission Future, Invests in Port Infrastructure Upgrades, Agreement Struck on Zero-Emission Transition and POLA and Nagoya Sign Agreement

State Grants Record Sum for Port’s Zero-Emissions Future

California State Transportation Agency officials July 6 announced a $383.35 million grant for the Port of Long Beach to complete a series of construction and clean-air technology projects aimed at accelerating the transformation to zero-emissions operations and enhancing the reliability and efficiency of cargo movement.

As part of the state’s Port and Freight Infrastructure Program, nearly $225 million will fund a variety of zero-emissions cargo-moving equipment and supportive infrastructure projects across the Port of Long Beach, and include “top handlers” and other manually operated cargo-handling equipment, as well as tugboats and locomotives. The sum is the largest grant the port has ever received to support the zero-emissions goals of the 2017 Clean Air Action Plan Update.

Additionally, $158.4 million of the state grant will go toward the planned Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which will shift more cargo from trucks to on-dock rail, where containers are taken to and from marine terminals by trains. The $1.57 billion facility will be built in phases, with construction scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed in 2032.

As part of its Clean Air Action Plan, or CAAP, the Port of Long Beach has set a goal of zero-emissions terminal operations by 2030, and zero-emissions trucking by 2035. 

The 2022-2023 state budget sets aside $2.3 billion for supply chain resilience, including one-time funding totaling $1.2 billion for the port and freight infrastructure program to support goods movement networks affected by the pandemic-induced cargo surge that resulted in unprecedented congestion at California’s seaports.

The program’s goal is to improve the capacity, safety, efficiency and resilience of goods movement through California’s seaports, while also enhancing air quality and growing the state’s economic competitiveness.

Gov. Newsom Announces $1.5 Billion in Port Infrastructure Upgrades 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom July 6 announced an investment of more than $1.5 billion – including approximately $450 million for zero-emission infrastructure, locomotives, vessels and vehicles — as part of the state’s work to build a more efficient, sustainable and resilient supply chain.

The $1.2 billion will fund 15 projects creating an estimated 20,000 jobs and increase the capacity to move goods throughout the state’s global trade gateways while lessening environmental impacts on neighboring communities. Administered by the California State Transportation Agency or CalSTA, $350 million was also awarded to 13 projects that eliminate street-level rail crossings to make critical safety improvements, reduce emissions and keep goods and people moving. 

Projects receiving funding will help boost capacity to move goods through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as enhance all major trade centers throughout the state. The high-priority grade separation projects, the majority of which are funded through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, will improve safety and reduce conflicts and delays at railroad crossings, helping enhance the state’s freight and passenger rail systems. 

A complete list of projects is available at the following links:

• Port and Freight Infrastructure Program, including freight-focused high-priority grade separations.
• Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program high-priority grade separations.

California, Truck Manufacturers Strike Agreement on Zero-Emission Transition

 SACRAMENTO — California announced a partnership July 6 with the nation’s top truck manufacturers that advances the development of zero-emission vehicles or ZEVs for the commercial trucking industry, putting the state on track to meet its climate goals and protecting the health of front line communities impacted most by trucking pollution.

The agreement reached between the California Air Resources Board or CARB and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) and its commercial engine and vehicle members and Ford Motor Company includes a commitment from the companies to meet California’s ZEV standards: 100% clean truck sales by 2036. The agreement also includes stipulations regarding emissions standards, regulatory changes and more.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Clean-air-goals  

Ports of Los Angeles and Nagoya Sign Agreement to Expand Cooperation

SAN PEDRO — Officials from the ports of Los Angeles and Nagoya, Japan, June 29 signed a new Memorandum of Understanding or MOU to broaden cooperation on key sustainability and operational efficiency initiatives, including port community systems and digital supply chain information sharing, zero-emission vehicle and equipment testing and a new Green Shipping Corridor between the two ports. The new three-year agreement builds upon the 2020 MOU.

The new three-year MOU involves sharing best practices and exchanging information on issues of operational efficiencies, such as the development, deployment and promotion of port community systems for end-to-end supply chain information sharing. These include the Port Optimizer™ that has been in use at the Port of Los Angeles since 2017, and has helped revolutionize the Port’s ability to plan, forecast and track cargo on a real-time basis.

Under the new agreement, both ports also agreed to continue collaborating on the development and testing of zero-emission vehicles and equipment; environmental initiatives focused on terminal operations, ships in port and drayage trucks; and on energy use and alternative energy sources.

Central to sustainability efforts in the agreement will be the establishment of a new Green Shipping Corridor in the coming years, guided by a port decarbonization plan. This endeavor will focus on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from cargo movement between Nagoya and Los Angeles, and encourage the use and promotion of low and zero-carbon ships and fuels.