San Pedro Bay Ports Release Clean Marine Fuels Report

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have released a report identifying clean marine fuels for oceangoing vessels and outlining steps to support their use at the nation’s busiest port complex.

Conducted as part of the ports’ joint Green Shipping Corridor efforts, the Clean Marine Fuel Feasibility Assessment examined which fuels are most likely to be adopted by the shipping industry calling at our ports, how much demand could develop locally and what infrastructure would be needed to support them.

The study found that liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol are the two most viable clean marine fuels for the near and medium term. Both offer potential pathways to reduce emissions from oceangoing vessels, depending on how the fuels are produced and sourced. Approximately 4,000 vessels call each year at San Pedro Bay ports. Reducing emissions from these vessels—the largest source of emissions in the ports complex—is a key to accomplishing Clean Air Action Plan goals.

The assessment recommends that the ports adopt a phased approach that includes incentivizing early methanol use, exploring pilot fueling projects, making use of existing storage facilities and working with regulatory agencies to establish clear safety and permitting requirements. For LNG, the study recommends focusing on existing ship-to-ship fueling methods to ensure safety and efficiency rather than constructing major new storage facilities at the ports.

This story was originally published by Maritime Professional. Read the full story at Maritime Professional →