Shanghai, LA Ports Team Up on Cutting Emissions

The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Shanghai have signed a formal agreement to exchange information, technical expertise and best practices to expand use of shore power at the Port of Shanghai.

The U.S.-China EcoPartnership Program advances the goals of the Ten-Year Framework for Cooperation on Energy and the Environment established in 2008.

The Los Angeles-Shanghai agreement is one of six new EcoPartnerships signed, adding to 24 partnerships previously created under the Framework to foster collaboration on electricity, water, air, transportation, wetlands, nature reserves and protected areas, and energy efficiency.

Specifically, the Port of Los Angeles will share knowledge with the Port of Shanghai on topics that include regulations, rules, standards, policies, electricity rates and incentive programs to promote shore power.

Los Angeles’ technical expertise and more than a decade of experience will help Shanghai build on its pilot program at Waigaoqiao Phase II container terminal as it adds shore power to the Yangshan Deepwater Port – Phase III and the Shanghai Wusong Cruise Terminal.

The parties will begin by developing a plan within the next 30 days to implement the three-year initiative.

Ensuring consistent equipment and practices will accelerate emission reductions at both ports.

Uniform standards and compatible infrastructure that allow ocean carriers to maximize their investment in clean ships could lead to green shipping routes that increase trade at both ports.

Shore power, which allows ships at berth to turn off auxiliary engines and run on clean energy to power vital onboard systems, has unprecedented air quality benefits.

Plugging into shore-side electricity reduces engine emissions of diesel particulate matter (DPM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx) by up to 95 percent per vessel call.

Ports must have the necessary infrastructure and ships must be equipped to connect to shore power.

 [mappress]
Press Release, July 11th, 2014