Americas News
Shipping Lines Honoured for Slow Steaming, Emissions Reduction
The Port of Long Beach (PoLB) says it honoured twenty shipping lines at the annual Green Flag and Green Ship awards last week, for their efforts to improve local air quality.
The awards recognised shipping lines for using less bunker fuel by slowing down within 20 and 40 nautical miles of the port, as well as those deploying cleaner vessels.
"Slower ships burn less fuel, producing less pollution," PoLB said in the statement.
"In 2012, almost 96 percent of all ships calling at Long Beach slowed to 12 knots within 20 nautical miles of the Port."
Since the launch of the ship-slowing program in 2005, the port says more than 200 vessel operators have been awarded Green Flags and qualified for reductions on dockage fees, which in 2012 totalled $2.5 million.
The program was also said to have been instrumental in helping the port decrease diesel pollution from all port-related operations by 75 percent since 2005.
"Congratulations to the winners of the Green Flag and Green Ship awards. These fleets are the top performers in an industry that is working to reduce its environmental impact," said Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Susan E. Anderson Wise.
"We thank these winners and all the shipping lines participating in these programs, as they help to improve air quality in Long Beach."
