The Port of Los Angeles finished 2020 with a net reduction in air pollution, as the Port’s Inventory of Air Emissions for 2020 shows that criteria pollutants fell slightly from 2019 levels.
The tremendous drop in emissions during the first part of 2020 offset the increase at the end of the year. The cargo surge has continued well into this year, so we expect to see an increase in emissions for calendar year 2021
said Port Director of Environmental Management Christopher Cannon.
A pandemic-induced consumer buying spree that began last summer and continues today has resulted in a record-level and sustained surge of imported goods through L.A. and other major ports worldwide. Under the Port’s standard protocol, at-anchorage emissions for all ships calling the Port are included in the emissions inventory.
Other pandemic-driven impacts include a reduction in liquid bulk (tanker) vessel calls tied to the decline in regional fuel consumption, a slowdown in bulk cargo, and the total shutdown of cruise operations beginning March 15, 2020. Likewise, emissions from harbor craft fell, due primarily to the lack of business for excursion and ferry boats.
The ongoing industry trend of fewer ship calls due to larger vessels carrying more cargo continued in 2020. The Port ended 2020 with 968 container ship calls – down 2% since 2019. Since 2005, container ships calls have dropped 35% and now average 88% more TEUs per vessel.
Compliance with mandatory and voluntary pollution control reduction programs remains high, which also drives down vessel emissions. The measures include:
- Switching to cleanest-available low-sulfur fuel;
- Using incentives to attract the newest, cleanest ships to the Port;
- Plugging most container, refrigerated cargo and cruise ships into shoreside electrical power at berth.
Another positive trend is the ongoing turnover of the nearly 19,000 trucks registered to call at the Port. Currently, 40% of the truck “drayage” fleet are 2014 or newer models, a sign that companies doing business at the Port continue to invest in the cleanest-available heavy-duty drayage trucks equipped with pollution control systems.
The trend builds on the dramatic clean air gains from the Port’s Clean Truck Program, which eliminated all older, dirty pre-2007 trucks from the drayage fleet on Jan. 1, 2012. Any trucks new to Port service must be model year 2014 or newer.
The Port also remains focused on eliminating tailpipe emissions from cargo handling equipment by 2030 and drayage trucks by 2035. Both goals are essential to the Port’s larger goal of reducing port-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
While the Port has made progress in reducing GHG emissions, the rate of reduction has fluctuated annually. For 2020, GHGs were down 12%.
The technology that reduces particulate matter and nitrogen oxides can sometimes increase greenhouse gases. This makes our zero emissions demonstration projects all the more critical because they reduce both criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas levels
said Mr. Cannon.
The Port has already achieved its 2023 CAAP goals for reducing emissions of DPM by 77%, NOx by 59% and SOx by 93%. The Port hit its DPM target in 2012 and its NOx target in 2017. The Port also met and exceeded its SOx reduction goal in 2014, its original milestone for the 93% target. The Port also continues to surpass its 2020 goal of reducing health risk from port-related operations by 85%, first achieved in 2014.
