Having fueled smog and pollution around the globe since the advent of the modern shipping industry, ports haven’t had the best environmental reputations. Yet stewardship, public perception and new regulations have driven many to significantly clean up their acts over the past decade. Some U.S. ports are even becoming models of environmental leadership with investments, programs and initiatives that conserve resources, minimize emissions and take a holistic view of their impacts on the community.

Leading ports say things like clean truck programs, equipment upgrades, shore-side electricity and emission reduction strategies can go a long way in positively impacting both their operations and the natural environment. And while ports may also face uncertainty about regulations and capital for upgrades, their commitment to their communities and environments remains strong.

Reducing Emissions and Improving Air Quality with Equipment Upgrades

Air pollution remains the single biggest challenge at many ports due to the daily movement of thousands of trucks, vessels and equipment. In early June, the mayors of Los Angeles and Long Beach signed a two-page declaration to move to zero-emissions trucks and yard equipment by 2035. A smog-cleanup plan approved in March also requires the California Air Resources Board to draft regulations to achieve up to 100 percent zero-emission cargo handling equipment by 2030. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in a release that it was “crucial to double down on our commitment to combating climate change by achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and by committing to zero emissions goals for the Clean Air Action Plan.”

A recent National Port Strategy Assessment by the EPA found there are many strategies and technologies that can help reduce port emissions and harmful pollutants. This includes things like replacing older equipment and outdated diesel fleets, implementing operational improvements to reduce idling and switching to cleaner fuels. The EPA report said upgrading equipment alone could provide significant reductions in NOx and PM_2.5 emissions.

Since implementing its Green Port Policy in 2005, Long Beach has driven clean truck programs and installed shore-side electricity. At the nearby Port of Los Angeles, Christopher Cannon, director of Environmental Management, says they are installing at-berth emissions control devices and testing a smokestack “hood” that would collect and treat emissions from cargo ships. The port is also aiming to become the first terminal in the world to operate entirely on zero-emissions equipment. Cannon says the terminal will be fueled by a $27 million solar and microgrid with 2.6 MW of battery storage. “It’s attracting a lot of attention, even from the federal government, because of the benefit of being able to operate a terminal in the event of an emergency. If there [was a blackout] it could still operate,” Cannon says.

Improving air quality is also a priority in Texas, especially in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria region. The Port Houston utilizes new technologies, alternative fuels, an employee vanpool program and strategic fleet replacement with low-emission vehicles as part of a formal Clean Air Strategy Plan aimed at reducing real and sustainable maritime and port-related emissions.

Meanwhile, the Texas General Land Office says 65 percent of the state’s shoreline is eroding at an average rate of about six feet per year, and even faster in some areas, leaving people, ports and refineries increasingly vulnerable to storms. That threat spurred the Port of Galveston’s Roger Quiroga to join the advisory committee for the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan, which is looking at 177 environmental restoration projects to protect the state’s shoreline from erosion. “The main thrust I think in the long run is going to be how do we protect the coastline from these hurricanes, especially the ones that might affect the upper Texas coast,” Quiroga recently told Houston Public Media. “Galveston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, you know, heavy industry.”

Drinking water became an issue earlier this year at the Port of Corpus Christi, which the city of Beeville summoned for leverage logistics after spring storms cut power at water treatment systems, exhausting the water supply. Fortunately, the port had a stockpile of bottled water on pallets due to a previous tap water contamination issue in Corpus Christi, so that water was redistributed to the parched citizens of Beeville. “Our port is deeply rooted with the citizens of our region,” explains Charles W. Zahn Jr., the Port of Corpus Christi Commission chairman.  “We are ready and willing to provide support during this and other times of need.”

Sustainability and Stewardship

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority has implemented a strategic plan “to ensure its continued economic success while ensuring its operations and activities are conducted in a manner conducive to environmental sustainability and resiliency.” A revised environmental policy recently implemented by commissioners identified five key precepts to be considered when evaluating new developments and operations: air quality, water quality, soils and sediments, wildlife habitat and environmental sustainability. Last year, the nation’s fifth largest port in total tonnage became the first in Texas to join Green Marine, the biggest voluntary environmental program for the maritime industry in North America. “Green Marine certification aligns well with our strategic initiatives with regards to the environment and sustaining the clean air, water and soil that we have in our port,” explains Sarah Garza, Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s director of Environmental Planning & Compliance.

Many ports around the country are making big strides in reducing their environmental impacts. At the Port of Baltimore, the Dray Truck Replacement Program has replaced more than 130 trucks since 2012 and significantly reduced turn times. The Port of Portland has invested $3 million in energy efficiency improvements and aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 15 percent by 2020. The South Carolina Port Authority is also installing solar panels on the warehouse roofs of two of its terminals, something it says will generate 3.6 megawatts of electricity. And the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey used cleaned dredged material to restore several marsh islands in Jamaica Bay.

New software applications and the Internet of Things are also enabling ports to make their operations more efficient. Cannon says the Port of Los Angeles is working on a new information portal that will enable port operators to obtain more updated information on cargo aboard incoming ships. As the port typically can’t obtain that information until 24 to 48 hours before arrival, having more real-time access to cargo information would allow them to prepare, sequence and move equipment more efficiently. “By being more efficient with how we move cargo at terminals and how we get cargo in and out of the port, it allows for much greater efficiency in terms of all the steps in the movement chain and reducing emissions,” Cannon says.

Port Canaveral recently received its environmental certification and became the 100th port to join the Green Marine program, a North American environmental certification program for the marine and port industry. Robert Musser, director of Port Environmental at the Port of Canaveral, says the port has implemented many “top-down” programs to reduce the environmental footprint with actions and measurable results.

At the Port of Oakland, Richard Sinkoff, director of Environmental Programs and Planning, says environmental stewardship has become “enshrined” in the strategic plan. The port is eight years into its 12-year Maritime Air Quality Improvement plan and has since reduced diesel particulate matter by 85 percent. Sinkoff says the port has implemented dozens of innovative programs and looks at all areas of port operations and administration with environmental considerations at the forefront. “We call it a lens for our port business,” Sinkoff explains. “So, in our agreements, in our discussions with tenants, it’s really a topic that is always raised front and center.”

Contemplating Costs and the Future of Regulations

As system-wide equipment upgrades can be costly, some ports are challenged with raising the capital they need. According to a report by the American Association of Port Authorities, U.S. ports and partners expect to spend nearly $155 billion on infrastructure upgrades by 2020. Yet AAPA noted that at “best case,” the federal government might only invest up to $25 billion during that time.

Donnell Jackson, the Port of New Orleans Media Relations manager, says sustainable improvements cost more in nominal terms but are often comparable to traditional infrastructure costs after factoring in things like reduced resource expenditures, quality of life improvements and impacts to natural environments. The Port of New Orleans has a Department of Sustainable Development team with a certified LEED Associate Professional and certified Environmental Sustainability Professional who can quantify and value projects. “When taking sustainability into account, we are extending the lifespan of the investment by considering changes to our surroundings as well as other sustainability factors,” Jackson says.

As the Trump administration aims to roll back regulations, some also question how it may impact American ports and the access to federal grant money. Some transportation companies and ports say a drawback of regulations wouldn’t necessarily reduce their commitment to environmental stewardship. Sinkoff notes that many of California’s regulations already exceed those at the federal level. He says they are watching the situation closely and believe such actions from the administration would mainly result in a reduction of “redundant regulations.”

“We’re developing strategies now to address that, to make sure that our business can continue to operate with the highest level of environmental stewardship,” Sinkoff says.

Musser says with the potential for more infrastructure funds on the way, a streamlining of multiple layers of regulations could help reduce some “logjams” in the system. He says while some “fine-tuning” to existing regulations could help reduce friction, it wouldn’t impact Port of Canaveral’s commitment to the environment and community. “Regardless of what happens [with regulations], I foresee programs continuing because it’s not just a sustainability issues. It’s a steward issue. The port is responsible to the citizens and taxpayers of Broward County,” Musser says.

One year after the opening of the Panama Canal expansion, East Coast ports are receiving some of the largest ships to ever call in the region. While a number of ports already have the channel depths required to receive such vessels, others are working on deepening and expansion projects to accommodate the growing size of vessels that are transiting the canal.

Experts say that while the trend is gradual, expanding port access and new routes are offering new transportation options between the East Coast and Asia.

More Direct Trade Route Between the East Coast and Asia

The Panama Canal expansion opened in late June of 2016 after nearly a decade and $5 billion worth of construction. The new locks and channels have doubled the canal’s capacity and can boost shippers’ economies of scale by allowing larger, wider and deeper vessels to transit the canal. While the expansion opened to questions about its design and international shipping trends, the Panama Canal Authority said in a written statement that it has since experienced a “boon in cargoes from newer segments, larger quantities and rerouted shipping lines.”

The expanded canal has so far transited more than 1,300 Neopanamax vessels, an average of 5.9 per day. Container ships now represent more than 40 percent of the vessels while the remaining consist of liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas. The Panama Canal Authority said the expansions are reverberating beyond Panama and around the world with a new and more direct trade route between Asia and the East Coast. The authority notes that January 2017 was a record month, with many U.S. ports such as Charleston, Philadelphia and Savannah also experiencing record container volume.

“Ports around the world are in varying stages of work to deepen and widen their channels to accommodate the growing number of Neopanamax vessels that can now transit the canal,” the authority said.

Many of these larger ships are already bringing record volumes to East Coast ports. In early May, the 13,092-TEU COSCO Development docked in the region, and less than a month later the 13,208-TEU, 1,202-foot-long OOCL France became the largest ship to ever transit the canal. It called at a number of ports including Charleston and Savannah before heading to Hong Kong. Both vessels are part of Ocean Alliance’s weekly South Atlantic Express service between Asia and the United States.

East Coast Ports Capitalizing on Larger Ships

A number of ports on the Atlantic say they are ready to accommodate the newest and largest Panamax ships. Griff Lynch, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority, said the Port of Savannah is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing number of larger ships transiting the canal. Because Savannah is the westernmost port on the East Coast, he says it is often the first call made on arrival and the last call made on departure. Lynch says in the first 10 months of the fiscal year 2017, nearly 35 percent of Savannah’s import and export cargo transited the Panama Canal. “By loading up on the last stop, vessels avoid carrying unnecessary weight during the port calls along the coast,” Lynch says.

The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) is expected to be completed in 2020 and will allow 14,000 TEU equivalent container vessels to call on the port with greater scheduling flexibility. Lynch says proximity to Midwest manufacturers could make Savannah a more viable and cost-effective port of entry for parts or for sending finished goods. He estimates that as the SHEP project comes online, many American businesses will be able to save 20 to 40 percent on transportation costs by their cargo going through Savannah.

Joe Harris, Virginia Port Authority spokesman, says fiscal year to date volumes at the Port of Virginia are up across the board in all categories, including truck, trail and barge. He attributes much of this to a strong economy, growing confidence in the Port of Virginia and the Panama Canal expansion. The port is currently working on $670 million worth of improvements and projects that will expand container capacity by 40 percent by 2020. Harris says these ships are also coming in “loaded heavy” into Virginia to take advantage of the deep water before offloading and making calls at peer ports to the south that haven’t yet completed their deepening projects.

“We’re going to continue to take advantage of it, because we know we can grow our ship sizes parallel to what is happening. The Panama Canal is certainly a contributor to this,” Harris says. “We’re now seeing [larger vessels] once per week coming from China via the canal.”

Other East Coast Ports Upgrading to Accommodate New Panamax

Many ports are still working on infrastructure projects to accommodate new Panamax ships. At the Ports of New York and New Jersey, the recently completed Bayonne Bridge-raising project now allows the largest ships to gain access to the ports of Newark, Staten Island and Elizabeth. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said at a conference in May that it’s a “game-changer” that will help generate billions of additional dollars in economic activity to the region.

Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, says the bridge has been raised to a clearance of 215 feet, allowing ships of up to 18,000 TEUs to call on all terminals. He says it gives the ports an opportunity to compete for more discretionary cargo destined for inland points by truck and rail. The port has been preparing for the expansion for nearly a decade by deepening the harbor to 50 feet, expanding intermodal rail facilities and investing in larger gantry cranes.

Other deep-water ports on the East Coast include Miami, Norfolk and Baltimore. The ports of Boston, Charleston, and Jacksonville are also deepening their harbors, and the Port of Virginia is studying the benefits of deepening the harbor and channels to 55 feet, which would make it the deepest port on the East Coast.

Harris believes while more Asian bound and incoming cargo will enter the U.S. on the East Coast, the trend will happen slowly over the next decade. He also notes that despite access and cost, shippers want to diversify their routes. He points to past work stoppages, environmental controls, congestion and surcharges that have occasionally led to delays and added expenses on the West Coast. “I think we are seeing that the ocean carriers and cargo owners are diversifying their logistics chains and using the East Coast,” Harris says. “When you have 50 feet of water up and down the East Coast, we think it’s going to be a good thing for cargo coming here.”