Officials with the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Guangzhou, China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further their relationship and cooperation. Areas of collaboration include development of digital supply chain infrastructure, creation of a Trans-pacific Green Shipping Corridor between the two ports, and other sustainability initiatives to reduce port-related emissions and greenhouse gases.
The MOU represents continued cooperation between the ports of Los Angeles and Guangzhou, a relationship that dates back nearly four decades when the two ports signed their first “Friendship Port” agreement in 1984.
Today’s three-year MOU calls for best practice consultations and exchanging of ideas on supply chain efficiency and digital technology, and the sharing of lessons learned from the Port Optimizer™, the revolutionary digital community system developed by the Port of Los Angeles and in use since 2017.
The two ports also agreed to begin work to establish a Green Shipping Corridor, an initiative focused on reducing emissions along their respective trade routes and promoting low- and zero-carbon ships and fuels. The Port of Los Angeles has already established Green Shipping Corridor partnerships with the Port of Singapore, Port of Shanghai, and the Japanese ports of Nagoya, Yokohama and Tokyo.
Other environmental initiatives in the agreement include cooperation on testing and deployment of zero-emission vehicles, cargo handling equipment and vessels, as well as exploration of energy use and alternative energy sources, among other items.
The busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere, the Port of Los Angeles is North America’s leading trade gateway and has ranked as the No. 1 container port in the United States for 23 consecutive years. In 2022, the Port facilitated $311 billion in trade and handled a total of 9.9 million container units, the second busiest calendar year in the Port’s 116-year history.