UCLA and the Port of Los Angeles have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on sustainable operations and the health and well-being of local communities at the South Bay Summit.
The event, organised in cooperation with the ADEPT Group and the Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability, was held at the UCLA South Bay campus in Rancho Palos Verdes.
The memorandum focuses on fostering collaborations with neighbourhoods and communities around the port and UCLA South Bay, like San Pedro and Wilmington, while supporting both institutions’ commitment to sustainability.
The agreement also looks to create new learning, research and workforce opportunities for students and faculty from UCLA and local community members as the port continues to integrate the latest maritime innovations, supply-chain management approaches, clean technologies and ocean sciences.
The agreement builds on collaborations between the port and UCLA that have already seen real-world benefits. Researchers with the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have worked with the port to test a new carbon dioxide–removal technology that could have far-reaching benefits for clean air and green energy.
The UCLA Anderson School of Management, the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA have partnered with the port on a range of initiatives, from assessing energy operations and GHG emissions to the tracking of fish and other marine animal populations.
“UCLA and the Port of Los Angeles share core commitments to advancing sustainability, helping build healthier communities across the region and innovating for the public good,” said UCLA Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt.
“This agreement will allow us to forge new collaborations between two of L.A.’s most important and impactful institutions.”
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“Joining our two formidable forces together, this evolving partnership has significant and long-term potential,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.
“Together, we’re already working on solutions to further optimise port operations, reduce emissions and promote eco-friendly practices, particularly as they relate to the communities in and around the port complex.”
Earlier this summer, the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) awarded a $8 million grant to upgrade the Port of Los Angeles’ Port Optimizer digital data portal.
