Port of Hueneme nets $10.4 million for shore power project

The Port of Hueneme has received $10.4 million in funding from Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) to help build shoreside power plug-in infrastructure on its North Terminal. 

At its December 2 board meeting, the VCTC unanimously voted to approve funding for numerous CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality) projects that reduce congestion and vehicle emissions. VCTC awarded the Port of Hueneme a $10.4 million grant for its North Terminal Shore Power Project.

The project will allow car-carrying ships to connect to shoreside power to effectively eliminate diesel emissions while at berth. Many of the car-carrying vessels are used for the import and exports of passenger vehicles.

“This historic and unprecedented amount of funding allows the Port to continue its work reducing air emissions while continuing to move essential cargo,” said Mary Anne Rooney, President of the Oxnard Harbor District which owns of the Port of Hueneme.

“Over the past 85 years, the Port has invested more than $20 million in mutually beneficial environmental projects that foster unity and collaboration with the most impactful and meaningful results for the community.”

“The funding will greatly benefit the Ventura County region by bringing an additional 94 percent reduction in particulate matter and a 99 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides for all shore-power capable car-carrying vessels over the lifetime of the project,” said Oxnard Harbor Commissioner, Celina Zacarias.

“This is huge for this area of Oxnard and Port Hueneme, because when these ships come into Port and are sitting at the berth, if they don’t have a power source, they run their onboard powerplants. Now, they can come it, shut down their machinery, plug in, and be fully self-sufficient,” Brian MacDonald, VCTC Vice Chair and Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Oxnard, said.

The port also recently received state and federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust to implement innovative technologies to increase electrification efforts, track air quality progress, and further reduce particulate matter.

In 2014 the all-electric shoreside power systems went online at the South Terminal where container ships plug in to use the clean grid power.

According to the port authority, since 2008, there has been an estimated 96 percent decrease in sulfur oxides (SOx) and an 77 percent reduction in harmful diesel particulate matter.

“This funding is a big step forward in helping the Port achieve our goal of zero emissions,” stated Kristin Decas, Port of Hueneme CEO and Port Director.

“Last year our commissioners unanimously approved a resolution committing the Port to a ZE future, and the shoreside power project plays a significant part in that plan’s success.”