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Cordero Lauds Success of Long Beach Green Port

[ February 7, 2025   //   Gary G Burrows ]

            The Port of Long Beach is accomplishing its environmental, operational and commercial goals as it is setting greater goals for the years ahead, said CEO Mario Cordero during his annual state of the port address, Jan. 29.

            In a 2024 in which the port handled a record 9.6 million cargo containers, Cordero said Long Beach is making progress in transitioning operations to zero emissions, while marking dramatic air quality improvements and other environmental benefits throughout its 20 years as the Green Port.

            “For those who said a Green Port wouldn’t be able to compete commercially, the facts show otherwise. And today, for those who still doubt us, we are proving you wrong every single day,” Cordero told more than 900 industry and community leaders gathered for the address.

            “We’ve achieved environmental progress and commercial success,” Cordero said. “I say let’s have more of both.”

            Cordero’s address is available for viewing at http://www.polb.com/stateoftheport.

            The Long Beach Harbor Commission adopted the Green Port Policy in January 2005 as a promise to reduce harmful impacts from port operations and safeguard the health of Long Beach and surrounding residents.

            Sustainability initiatives through the Green Port Policy has resulted in a cleaner harbor, industry-leading green building practices and air quality improvements resulting from emissions reductions. So far, diesel emissions are down 92 percent, nitrogen oxides by 71 percent, sulfur oxides by 98 percent and greenhouse gases by 17 percent since 2005, Cordero said.

            In cargo volume, the Port ended 2024 with 9.65 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUS, processed, up 20.3 percent from a year earlier and a 2.8 percent increase from the previous record of more than 9.3 million TEUs moved in 2021. Imports rose 24.3 percent to 4,73 million TEUs and exports declined 5.9 percent to 1,21 million TEUs compared to 2023. Empty containers moving through the Port were up 26.6 percent to 3.7 million.

            The port closed the year with its most active December, moving 861,006 TEUs, up 21.3 percent from the same month a year earlier and surpassing the previous record set in December 2020 by 5.5 percent. Imports jumped 23.9 percent to 412,876 TEUs and exports were down 2.8 percent to 100,792 TEUs from December 2023. Empty containers moving through the Port increased 27.3 percent to 347,338 TEUs.

            December also marked the port’s seventh consecutive monthly year-over-year cargo increase. It was also the port’s busiest quarter overall with 2.73 million TEUs moved between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, breaking its third quarter 2024 record by 4 percent.

            The port said its Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility project will enhance cargo movement while improving air quality and vehicle traffic in Southern California. Additionally, Toyota Motor North America and FuelCell Energy partnered with the Port to open the first-of-its-kind “Tri-gen” system to generate renewable hydrogen, electricity and water to support Toyota’s operations in Long Beach.

            An environmental review is underway for Pier Wind, a proposed 400-acre terminal to assemble massive 1,100-foot-high floating offshore wind turbines that would be towed 20 to 30 miles off the coast of Central and Northern California. In addition, a recent preliminary economic impact report found that Pier Wind could generate US$8 billion in labor income, US$14.5 billion in economic output and US$1.3 billion in state and local taxes through 2045.

Tags: Port of Long Beach