USA: Evergreen Line Gets 2011 Clean Air Action Plan Air Quality Awards

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach presented Evergreen Line with a 2011 Clean Air Action Plan Air Quality Awards, an honor given to those taking extraordinary measures to cut air emissions, modernize facilities and implement innovative operations to reduce air pollution.

Evergreen was the sole maritime recipient of the Air Quality Improvement Leadership at the Corporate Level recognition. Now in their fourth year, the annual Air Quality Awards were initiated shortly after the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach approved the landmark San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan in 2006.

Evergreen’s award was accepted on July 26 by Jason Hsu, Deputy Senior Vice President of Evergreen Shipping Agency (America), the carrier’s North America agency. “Evergreen will continue our best effort to contribute to the environmental responsibility of the industry as we have since our 1968 founding,” said Mr. Hsu. “We are grateful for this recognition.”

Evergreen’s award was acknowledged by CAAP: “Evergreen Line, the ocean containership division of Taiwan’s Evergreen Group, has an established reputation for global environmental stewardship. In 2003, the company incorporated new S-type “Greenships” into its fleet, vessels that include low-sulfur fuel systems that reduce SOx emissions and efficient hull designs that help lower fuel consumption. These ships are also equipped to participate in the Port of Los Angeles’ Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) program,” it added, “which allows ships to plug into shore-side electric power while at berth, rather than running diesel engines while docked. Since 2001, Evergreen Line has also participated in the Port of Los Angeles’ Vessel Speed Reduction program, in which vessels voluntarily reduce speeds to lower emission output. Environmental leadership has been a company policy since its founding in 1968.

The award was presented by said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D and Port of Long Beach Executive Director Richard D. Steinke “These partners have shown a real commitment to cleaner and greener port operations, going above and beyond what is required,” said Dr. Knatz. “These awards highlight what can be achieved when entities join forces and embrace innovation to better the environment.”

“The Clean Air Action Plan awards are a fantastic way to put a spotlight on the oftentimes unheralded efforts of the goods movement industry to meet and exceed air quality goals, and to invent a better way to cleaner air for everyone,” said Mr. Steinke. “We congratulate all of the winners.”

Port tenants and other organizations that serve the ports are eligible to be nominated. The judging panel includes port staff, as well as representatives from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The two other recipients of the corporate award are Clean Truck Coalition, LLC and Ability/Tri-Modal Transportation Services Inc.

The landmark Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) was adopted by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in November 2006, with the aim of reducing port-related air emissions by at least 45% in five years. Achieving these CAAP emission reduction goals will take continuing partnership and collaboration between the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, their tenants and other port operators.

Port operators who are actively participating in the implementation of strategies to meet the CAAP goals are making a remarkable contribution to the program’s success. In addition, those port operators who go above and beyond meeting CAAP requirements are bringing America’s largest port complex closer to realizing the five-year emissions reduction goals. The CAAP Air Quality Excellence Awards (CAAP Awards) Program recognizes exemplary efforts of port operators who go beyond CAAP requirements and goals.

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Source: Evergreen Line, August 5, 2011.