Port points to lower growth in emissions

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

28 Sep 2007

Overall container-related emissions have not kept pace with port expansion in Los Angeles, according to an air inventory report released this week.Bigger ships, better air quality in Los Angeles.The Port of Los Angeles released its 2001-2005 Air Emissions Inventory which charted a 44% increase in container volumes.But in good news for air quality, the report showed a 17-27% reduction in emissions per 10,000 TEU of containers.One of the factors working in the port's favour was the increase in the container capacity of ships calling at the port, from an average of 3,272 TEU in 2001 to 5,260 TEU in 2005. So while volumes were up by nearly half, the total number of ship calls actually fell over the period, which led to a 6% decrease in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and 4% decrease in sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions. "Larger and more modern ships also have reduced calls and begun to curb NOx and SOx emissions at the port," said the port's executive director, Dr. Geraldine Knatz.Total ship emissions, however, increased by 12% between 2001 and 2005, primarily with larger volumes of particular matter (PM)."The increase in PM emissions may be due to the increase in auxiliary engine activity due to more auxiliary power and longer average hotelling times," the report said.It also noted that a switch to low-sulphur fuels in auxiliary engines may have decreased SOx emissions substantially but not PM emissions to the same degree.Overall, though, the port authority concluded that it was on the right track in the focus of its emissions-reduction measures, such as slower vessel speeds in port areas, shore power to reduce auxiliary engine use, and cleaner ship fuels."Beyond that, this inventory underscores our need to continue to move aggressively forward with the implementation of the Clean Air Action Plan - and that’s our primary focus this year," Knatz said.The San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan was approved last year in coordination with the Port of Long Beach.