Author Archives: Gwen Dobbs
Clean Air Action Plan Update Surfaces Long Simmering Concerns
Read excerpts of Pacific Environment’s Dawny’all Heydari’s statements made at the latest Clean Air Action Plan update meeting, and click on the link to read the full article in Random Length News.
Pacific Environment applauds first-ever Ocean Climate Action Plan
The Biden administration released a first-ever Ocean Climate Action Plan. Ocean-based solutions include, but are not limited to: green shipping, blue carbon, biodiversity conservation and protection, ecosystem protection and restoration, nature-based solutions, marine renewable energy, ocean-based carbon dioxide removal and sequestration, climate-ready aquaculture and fisheries, and other ocean-climate related actions.
Ports for People Applauds Los Angeles and Tokyo, Yokohama Green Shipping Corridors
The Port of Los Angeles has entered into separate Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with the Port of Tokyo and the Port of Yokohama to formalize their collaboration on sustainability and environmental issues at the ports. The MOUs were finalized during the 2023 California Japan Clean Energy Trade Mission.
Ports for People Applauds New California-Japan Collaboration on Green Ports, Shipping
The governments of California and Japan announced a new collaboration to clean up pollution at seaports, commercialize zero-emission fuels and maritime technologies, and establish green shipping corridors. The Letter of Intent was signed in Tokyo on Tuesday by leadership of the Governor Newsom administration of California and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan (“the Ministry”).
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport Announces Clean Harbor Craft Rules
Senior Minister of State for Transport Mr. Chee Hong Tat announced at the Ministry of Transport Committee of Supply Debate that: “From 2030, new harbor craft operating in our port waters must be fully electric, be capable of using B100 biofuels, or be compatible with net zero fuels such as hydrogen.”
Groups Encouraged by Creation of US, Canada, Mexico Clean Hydrogen Market
State of California Signals Need for Additional Measures to Tackle Toxic Pollution from Ocean-Going Vessels
Today, California’s chief climate and air pollution regulator released a report on the status of the state’s world-first regulation to end in-port pollution from fossil fuel vessels. The report by California Air Resources Board (CARB) shows the continued success of the state’s in-port pollution regulation in protecting California port and coastal communities from significant fossil fuel pollution by requiring certain vessels to plug into shorepower while docked at ports.
Ports for People Launches Inaugural RePORT Cards for Shipping Ports
West Coast Governors Newsom, Inslee, Brown and B.C. Premier Horgan’s Climate Partnership Sets Sights on Port Electrification and Maritime Decarbonization
California Governor Newsom, Oregon Governor Brown, Washington Governor Inslee, and British Columbia Premier Hogan signed a new Statement of Cooperation (SOC), including a new initiative to pursue zero-carbon shipping and to decarbonize port equipment and operations.
UK legal obligations on international shipping
Emissions from the UK’s international shipping activities make up more than half of the UK’s total maritime emissions. However, the UK is proposing only to regulate emissions from the domestic fleet, stating in the recent Course to Zero consultation that responsibility for regulating international emissions lies with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Climate experts call on the US and China to work together on reducing emissions from flights and ships
Climate experts at a Thursday evening webinar urged China and the US to work together to reduce carbon emissions from ship and airplane traffic.
Ports can accelerate zero-emission ocean shipping transition, new report shows
Ports need to accelerate action in the race to a zero-emission ocean shipping future, environmental organisations Pacific Environment and Opportunity Green said in a new playbook released in connection with Climate Week NYC 2022.
Pacific Environment, Opportunity Green release ports playbook for zero-emission ocean shipping
How ports can right the ship on industry pollution, emissions
In this critical moment for climate action, ports have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to right the ship and move the industry onto a trajectory commensurate with the climate emergency.
3 ways the new climate law will help clean up dirty US ports
The Inflation Reduction Act includes $3 billion to slash pollution from ports by electrifying machinery, plugging ships into the grid and more.
Port of Rotterdam and MPA Singapore announce largest green and digital corridor
Efforts are underway to form the world’s longest green corridor to enable low and zero carbon shipping between the hubs of Singapore in the Far East and Rotterdam in Europe.
Svitzer tugs reduce CO2 emissions by slow steaming to and from jobs
The shipping industry is discussing slow steaming as a means of reducing emissions and beginning to meet CO2 reduction targets for long-distance ocean routes. Now comes word from A.P. Moller-Maersk’s tugboat operations, Svitzer, that it has been able to achieve similar results for its tugboats during a trial program that they are rolling out across the global fleet.
Cargo ships are notoriously dirty. A new bill aims to clean them up.
The Clean Shipping Act, proposed this week in Congress, would curb CO2 pollution from shipping and accelerate the adoption of nascent technologies.
Ports must lead, not follow, shipping’s decarbonisation
Decarbonisation is the task of the decade for the global shipping industry. This month alone, conferences in Copenhagen, Athens, Rotterdam and Montreal, and a meeting at the International Maritime Organization, have been hosting discussions on how to reduce and eliminate the shipping industry’s climate-warming pollution.
Sparky, the world’s first full sized, electric tugboat, starts operating in Auckland
Ports of Auckland has welcomed a new addition to its fleet, with the arrival of the world’s first full size, ship-handling electric tug. Named Sparky, as voted by New Zealanders in a public vote in 2020, the e-tug ought to result in the saving of approximately 465 tonnes of CO2 in diesel emissions annually and marks another important step on the port’s plans to be totally emissions free by 2040.
Methane leaks make LNG-powered ships dirtier than other vessels
Methane leaks from ships using liquefied natural gas as fuel make most of the vessels dirtier than ones using diesel or heavy fuel oil, a new analysis shows.
Editorial: Port pollution is surging. Let regulators do their job to protect public health.
Southern California still suffers the nation’s worst-polluted air but it also has a decades-long record of success in fighting smog, which has been achieved largely through stringent regulation, not by cutting deals with polluters. AQMD leaders have shown with recently adopted rules on oil refineries and warehouse logistics centers that they have the authority and political will to take meaningful action against some of the region’s most powerful industries. They can and should do the same with the ports.
A.P. Moller – Maersk accelerates Net Zero emission targets to 2040 and sets milestone 2030 targets
A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) announces new aspiring emissions targets expected to align the company with the Net Zero criteria of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C. They include a societal commitment to act now and drive material impact in this decade, and a commitment to deliver net zero supply chains to customers by 2040.
