Previously, the tugs tied up at the dock needed to run their generators to provide electrical power.

Crowley and the Port of Los Angeles completed this environmentally friendly initiative, also known as cold ironing, at Berth 86 this month. The port paid to run electrical power to the dock, and Crowley purchased and installed the electrical connections to the boats and transformers to take the voltage from 440 volts to 220 volts.

Overall, Crowley expects to conserve fuel used by the generators daily in its Los Angeles operations, and consequently reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 486,180 pounds in the first year. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, each gallon of diesel fuel produces approximately 22.2 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. Crowley already has cold ironing capabilities in Seattle, Jacksonville, Pennsauken and Puerto Rico.

"We are very pleased to be a part of this important green initiative with the Port of Los Angeles," said Frosty Leonard, Crowley manager of marine operations in California. "Using shore-side power is not only the environmentally friendly thing to do, it's just good business."

As an added benefit, Leonard said shore-side power eliminates the constant noise from the engines that disrupts the crews' rest periods and provides engineers a quieter engine room in which to work.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company that provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales.