The Port of Long Beach and six other international seaports recognized for advancing innovative environmental initiatives are combining forces to launch the "World Ports Climate Action Program."
Long Beach will join port authorities in Los Angeles; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Hamburg, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; Antwerp, Belgium; and Vancouver, Canada in developing projects to address global warming and meet the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, a United Nations-led effort to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"This partnership helps to raise awareness about global warming throughout the port industry and ensures that we are working toward the same goals on an international scale," said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “For us to make an impact, it really needs to be a global impact. Improving the air quality in Southern California is important, but we need to work together globally to make a real difference when it comes to dealing with climate change.”
The World Ports Climate Action Program focuses on five specific actions:
Increase efficiency of supply chains using digital tools
Advance common and ambitious policy approaches aimed at reducing emissions within larger geographic areas
Accelerate development of renewable energy for shore power, and other zero-emission solutions
Accelerate development of commercially viable low-carbon fuels for maritime transport, and infrastructure for electrification of ship propulsion systems
Accelerate efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use in cargo-handling facilities in the ports
To achieve those goals, each port agreed to work with government regulators and maritime industry stakeholders to develop policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, along with providing financial support in developing clean technologies for the shipping and logistics industry.
“The Port of Long Beach's approach to growing in a sustainable and responsible manner is creating good jobs while preserving our environment. Joining this coalition of forward-thinking ports will allow us to both contribute and innovate at a faster pace,” said Tracy Egoscue, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. “We are the Green Port of the Future and by joining this coalition we continue to lead our industry to a sustainable future.”
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $194 billion in trade annually, supporting hundreds of thousands of Southern California jobs.