Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 2
Ports and Marine Operations
Description
Numerous strategies have been
proposed to increase the energy
efficiency of operations at ports,
thereby reducing GHG and criteria
pollutant emissions. These include
both land- and marine-side
operations. Land-side strategies are
focused on reducing truck idling,
reducing truck VMT by eliminating
empty hauls or shifting local
movements from truck to rail, and
introducing alternative propulsion
systems for cargo handling
equipment. Marine-side strategies
are focused on reducing diesel
generator use while at the dock, as
well as reducing criteria pollutant
emissions as ships enter or leave the
terminal.
Specific land-side strategies include:
• Reducing truck idling at terminal gates through the use of appointment systems;
• Charging peak-period fees in conjunction with extending gate hours to encourage
truck trips during off-peak periods, reducing wait time as well as travel on congested
roadways near the port (such as the PierPASS system established at the Ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach);
• Improving awareness of container location within the yard, via inventory tracking
systems using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or global positioning systems
(GPS) tags on containers;
• Establishing chassis pools to allow sharing of chassis among competing shipping lines,
reducing empty backhauls;
• Implementing an Internet container matching service for empty containers known as a
“Virtual Container Yard,” to return empty containers to the port;
• Implementing cargo handling equipment using alternative propulsion systems (e.g.,
hydraulic hybrid vehicles or electric gantry cranes);
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Ports and Marine Operations
Benefits: Low: 0.2-0.3 mmt CO2e in 2030
• Reflects reduced truck operations at container ports
only
Direct Costs: Unknown
• May vary widely depending upon technology or
practice
Net Included Costs: Unknown
Confidence in Estimates: Moderate
• Some potential strategies not included in estimate
Key Co-Benefits and Impacts: Positive
• Significant local air quality benefits; some reductions
in local truck traffic
Feasibility: High
• Initiatives in progress at some ports; number of major
ports is small
Key Policy Options:
• Tools to assist in GHG assessment; regulations or
voluntary partnerships to promote GHG reduction
practices