Los Angeles port expands green shore-side power initiative

Los Angeles port expands green shore-side power initiative    The port of Los Angeles is beginning construction on a direct wharf plug-in system at berths 212-216 at an estimated cost of more than $1 million to allow more containerships to use shore-side power instead of running their more polluting onboard diesel engines.
   The project requires the construction of an electrical utility service substation, supplied by the city’s department of water and power, electrical switchgear, underground and under-wharf conduit, cables and wharf-mounted flush power outlet vault.
   Construction will begin this month and is expected to take six months to complete. The project will be watched closely by the industry, which regards Los Angeles and Long Beach as test beds for new environmental practices that could spread to other ports. The first Alternative Maritime Power program in Los Angeles started last year.
   The port said the plug-in system at berths 212-216 will expand the use of its innovative “clean electrical power program for container ships at dock.”
   Described as the “next generation” of the Alternative Maritime Power program, the latest initiative will not require ships calling at these berths to use a barge conduit for connecting ships to shore-side electrical power like the system currently in use at berth 100 in the port. Instead, the vessels will simply plug into a power outlet contained in the wharf itself.
   “Each containership plugged into the port’s Alternative Maritime Power program saves one ton of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter from entering the L.A. basin per day,” the port of Los Angeles said.
   Under pressure from local residents, the city of Los Angeles has pledged there will be “no net increase” in air pollution.