Port of Long Beach ready for cold ironing rule

   The Port of Long Beach is ready to meet California’s mandate for at least half of all container ships to run on shore-side electricity at berth beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
   The port said work is getting done ahead of the state’s deadline and under budget.
   “With three months to go, we’ve completed the landside testing at all but two of the 12 berths,” said Acting Chief Harbor Engineer Sean Gamette. “Testing on those berths will be completed in the coming weeks.”
   Ships generate more than 60 percent of the emissions from port-related operations, said Rick Cameron, Acting Managing Director of Environmental Affairs & Planning. “Since 2006, we’ve made huge progress in cutting emissions from trucks, trains and cargo-handling equipment, and we’ve made a major dent in curbing vessel pollution,” Cameron said. “But the requirement to plug in at berth will be a game-changer.”
   Long Beach said that based on total ship calls, at least 50 percent of an ocean carrier’s fleet of container, reefer and cruise ships must plug into shore power starting Jan. 1 at six California ports. Carriers are subject to an additional requirement: Each fleet must reduce its total emissions by 50 percent.