The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have released a comprehensive report identifying promising 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 Corridorefforts, 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.

“Strategic investments guided by this study will enable a growing market for these green marine fuels, helping ships serving the trans-Pacific transition to a cleaner future,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “The findings provide a promising path for us to work with our partners to continue improving air quality across the region in pursuit of our zero-emissions ambitions.”

”Reducing emissions from ships is one of the most important challenges facing our industry,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “This study gives us a clearer picture of where the market is headed and how we can work with our partners to make cleaner marine fuels more accessible. It’s another important step in our ongoing commitment to cleaner air and a more sustainable supply chain.”

Among the study’s findings:

• Shipping lines are investing in a variety of fuel technologies, rather than moving toward a single alternative to conventional marine fuel.
• By 2030, annual demand at the two ports could reach approximately 65,000 to 115,000 metric tons of LNG and 64,000 to 250,000 metric tons of methanol, depending on market conditions and vessel deployment.
• Much of the storage and distribution infrastructure needed for early methanol fueling is already available or could be adapted, reducing the need for major initial investments.
• Fuel costs, shipping line commitments and regulatory requirements will help determine how quickly cleaner fuels become widely available.

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.

The information contained in the assessment will help inform a joint ports Request for Proposal anticipated to be released by the end of the year that will solicit proposals to demonstrate alternative fuel bunkering capabilities in the San Pedro Bay.

The ports will also use the findings to help guide future planning and collaboration with shipping lines, fuel suppliers, terminal operators and government agencies as the maritime industry continues its transition toward lower-emission operations.

Updated in 2017, the CAAP is a comprehensive strategy for accelerating progress toward a zero-emissions future while protecting and strengthening the ports’ competitive position in the global economy. Since 2005, port-related air pollution emissions in San Pedro Bay have dropped 90% for diesel particulate matter, 70% for nitrogen oxides, and 98% for sulfur oxides. Targets for reducing greenhouse gases from port-related sources were introduced as part of the 2017 CAAP. The document calls for the ports to reduce GHGs 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. The Clean Air Action Plan was originally approved in 2006. View the latest emissions inventories for the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.