Since 2001, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have participated in a very successful voluntary vessel speed reduction (VSR) program. Since 2005, the Port of Long Beach has further increased compliance with VSR by offering the Green Flag Program, which provides financial incentives to their vessel carriers that participate in the program. To comply with the VSR Program (CAAP Measure OGV1) vessels reduce their speed to 12 knots on arrivals and departures to the Ports. Vessel speeds in the speed reduction zone are monitored and recorded in order to track compliance and to quantify emission reductions. Speed reduction is an operational change that all vessels can make to reduce both NOx and PM emissions, and it doesn’t require any modifications to the vessel. Emissions from vessels are directly related to the energy required to move the vessel through water. Even though at reduced speeds the main engines won’t be running at their lowest NOx and PM settings, the emission reductions associated with reducing the energy demand, or the load on the engine, significantly outweigh both the increased inefficiency of the main engine and increased auxiliary engine emissions (due to the longer transit time) from traveling at a slower speed. It is strongly recommended that ships calling on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles comply with the VSR program and slow to 12 knots within 20 nm of Point Fermin. Also, as stated in the CAAP, the Ports will seek to move the VSR boundary out to 40 nm to increase emission reductions.

Shore power (a.k.a cold-ironing or AMP) is a very effective strategy for controling auxiliary engine emissions while the vessel is at berth. Significant emission reductions can be achieved by replacing the use of the ship’s auxiliary engines with plugging in to shore power. The Ports are currently developing the necessary infrastructure for vessels to begin plugging in and are placing requirements into leases to use the infrastructure (CAAP Measure OGV2). In addition, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a statewide regulation requiring container, cruise, and reefer vessels to use shore power while in port. Other technologies are being explored as alternatives for controlling at-berth emissions for vessels where shore power may not be appropriate. One such example, which is being demonstrated at the Metropolitan Stevedore Company in the Port of Long Beach, is the Advanced Maritime Emissions Control Systems (AMECS). This is system captures the ship’s exhaust and treats it onshore. This technology demonstration is currently being coordinated with the Ports through the Technology Advancement Program to ensure that emissions reductions can be verified by the regulatory agencies.

Moving to the use of cleaner, distillate marine fuels for both auxiliary and main engines with low sulfur levels helps reduce sulfur oxide (SOx), particulate matter (PM), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. In the Ports’ Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), use of cleaner 0.2% sulfur distillate fuels in both main and auxiliary engines is recommended (CAAP Measures OGV3 & 4). The benefits from using these fuels are best when ships are near shore and therefore closer to populated areas. Switching to marine gas oil (MGO) with the lowest available sulfur is recommended within 40 nautical miles (nm) of Point Fermin. In order to encourage early use of this fuel, the ports have developed a Main Engine Fuel Incentive Program, which will cover the cost differential between dirty bunker fuel and cleaner-burning low sulfur MGO.