Carrier Maersk Line and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are partnering to measure the environmental benefits of a US$125 million upgrade for 12 Maersk container ships.
This will involve the installation of high-tech equipment to track vessel emissions and energy efficiency over the next three years, enabling more transparency and ultimately reducing the environmental impact of vessels calling at the San Pedro Bay port complex.
The two ports are contributing a combined $1 million to real-time tracking systems that represent an industry-leading application to pinpoint vessel emissions while ships are at sea and at berth. Unprecedented in its scope and scale, the three-year data collection and analysis project, called “The Connected Vessel Programme,” builds on the $125 million Maersk Line has invested in its “radical retrofit” program to reduce fuel consumption and increase the capacity of the vessels that regularly call at the San Pedro Bay ports.
Duane Knaggy, Interim CEO of the Port of Long Beach, said: “This project is a vivid example of the deep commitment to environmental sustainability that we have grown to expect from our goods movement partners, as we all work together to create a healthier planet.
“We’re pleased to be a part of this project, and we hope it will serve as a model to encourage even more progress and creativity in emissions reductions from ocean-going vessels.”
Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, said: “Maersk Line’s extraordinary commitment to cleaner, more efficient vessel operations represents a quantum leap in the environmental progress of our entire industry.
“We applaud Maersk Line for its leadership and innovation, and we are eager to do our part to advance fundamental change that will result in cleaner air for our surrounding communities and around the world.”
The shipping industry has all eyes on environmental issues at the moment; the IMO is representing shipping at COP 22 following its push of legislation which restrict sulphur emissions and other damaging aspects of shipping.
The shipping industry, along with aviation, has previously been pretty much exempt from environmental legislation, but with 50 countries now signed onto the Paris Agreement shipping is now starting to follow suit.
