The Port of Long Beach has received a multimillion dollar California Energy Commission Grant to aid the second phase of the Port Community Electric Vehicle Blueprint – designed to accelerate a sustainable and zero-emission port ecosystem across the state.

The $2.5 million grant will help the towards its transition to zero-emissions operations by developing infrastructure plans to support electric vehicles.

Projects covered by the grant include developing a master plan for SSA Marine’s Pier J facility to achieve its decarbonization goals and similar planning to evaluate the infrastructure required to support a fully zero-emissions port-owned fleet of vehicles and vessels.

Other projects include installing chargers at the port’s Maintenance Facility as well as the infrastructure needed to power future chargers at the port’s Joint Command and Control Center.

Lastly, funds will be used to develop a report in partnership with Long Beach City College to identify workforce skills needed to maintain zero-emissions trucks and infrastructure.

“The Port of Long Beach has forged a new direction for the shipping industry and today, we are on the path to zero-emissions operations by 2030 for cargo-handling equipment and 2035 for trucks servicing the Port,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

Steven Neal, Long Beach Harbor Commission President, added: “The California Energy Commission is part of our collaborative model that has allowed us to reduce diesel pollution by 90 per cent compared to 2005.”

“The Electric Vehicle Blueprint identifies the path toward zero emissions and will provide an economical, demonstrated approach to EV planning that other California seaports can replicate.”

The Port of Long Beach will contribute $847,072 matching funds toward the total $3.4 million cost.

As the nation’s second-busiest seaport, the Port of Long Beach recently announced its busiest March on record, moving a total of 863,156 TEU.

The sum represented a 2.7 per cent increase over the port’s container volumes in March 2021.