Pasha Hawaii’s newest vessel, powered by liquefied natural gas, was christened Thursday evening during a ceremony held at the Port of Long Beach.

Accompanied by speeches and the breaking of a champagne bottle, the ceremony marked the start of regular service of the MV George III, one of the cleanest container ships to call at the Port of Long Beach. The MV George III made its initial call at the Port on Aug. 17, when it became the first LNG-powered container ship to refuel on the West Coast.

“We would like to thank the Pasha family for choosing to hold this very special event at the Port of Long Beach,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “We are proud to welcome a vessel that represents our move toward a cleaner future for this Port, our community and the supply chain.”

“Our ability to accommodate the MV George III aligns with the Port’s ongoing dedication to environmental sustainability,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Sharon L. Weissman. “The Port of Long Beach is proud to be a regular stop where this ship and others like it will be able to refuel with liquefied natural gas.”

LNG-powered ships achieve a 99.9% reduction in diesel particulate matter and sulfur oxide emissions, 90% less nitrogen oxides and a 25% reduction in carbon dioxide compared to ships running on traditional fuels.

Welcoming vessels like Pasha Hawaii’s LNG-fueled ship is part of the Port of Long Beach’s ongoing commitment to fulfill the goals outlined in the historic Green Port Policy and San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan enacted more than 15 years ago. These actions have led to unprecedented reductions in emissions connected to goods movement as the Port continues to work toward a goal of deploying all zero-emissions cargo handling equipment by 2030 and zero-emissions drayage trucks by 2035.

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. As the second-busiest container seaport in the United States, the Port handles trade valued at more than $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million trade-related jobs across the nation, including 575,000 in Southern California.