US ports win US$ 148M in grants to reduce pollution

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded US$148 million in grants to 11 states and Puerto Rico under the first round of a new US$ 400 million program to improve air quality and reduce pollution at U.S. ports.

The Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), invests in port electrification and efficiency improvements.

In this first round of grant awards, FHWA has funded 16 projects, including replacing diesel-powered trucks serving ports with zero or low emissions electric or alternative fuel-powered trucks, constructing electric vehicle charging infrastructure, employing port roadway access improvements, and studying technology enhancements to reduce truck emissions.

California is receiving US$ 49.7 million for port improvements. The Ports of Long Beach, Oakland and Los Angeles will receive funding to replace diesel- and gas-powered trucks and shuttle buses with zero-emission technologies, electric trucks and EV chargers.

• The Long Beach Container Terminal will receive US$ 34.8 million to replace 149 diesel- and gas-powered trucks and six shuttle buses with zero-emission technologies and install 155 electric charging units. The project aims to improve overall efficiency at the container terminal by minimizing truck idling and gate congestion while addressing worker safety, climate change and sustainability.
• WattEV, a U.S. commercial-truck charging infrastructure developer, will receive US$9 million to purchase 40 Class 8 battery electric trucks at the Port of Long Beach. The project aims to make heavy-duty, zero emissions truck technology more accessible, affordable and available to independent owner-operators, shippers, and carriers in support of a new generation of clean, short-haul trucking.
• The Port of Oakland and its partner, Eagle Rock Aggregates, will receive US$ 4 million to purchase four, Class 8 electric trucks, one electric street sweeper, one electric pick-up truck, and eight EV chargers at Eagle Rock Terminal. In addition, funding will replace one aging diesel truck with a Class 8 electric truck and charger. All improvements are designed to reduce port-related emissions from idling trucks and facilitate charging at the port rather than refueling at nearby facilities.
• Voltera Power, a zero-emissions refueling infrastructure provider, will receive US$1.7 million to build a large-scale charging project near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The project is intended to reduce emissions from port-related traffic by providing parking and charging services for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) fleets.

Read more: Port of Long Beach and Port NOLA secure federal grants

Texas is receiving US$ 26.9 million for improvements to the Port of Houston, including 30 new zero-emission, short-haul trucks and portable electric chargers for battery electric vehicle trucks. It will also pay for the installation of new automated terminal operating systems to reduce truck idling times.

Read more: Port Houston secures US$ 26.9M grant for clean truck programme

Georgia is receiving US$ 15.3 million for improvements at the Port of Savannah.

• Voltera Power, a zero-emissions refueling infrastructure provider, will receive US$ 7.8 million to build a large-scale charging project near the Port of Savannah. The project aims to reduce emissions from port-related traffic by providing parking and charging services for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) fleets.
• The Georgia Ports Authority will receive US$7.5 million to conduct a four-year pilot program at the Port of Savannah that will expand the use of low-emission and zero-emission equipment to carry out daily port activities and reduce port-related emissions from idling trucks. The project will replace petroleum diesel fuel used by 621 trucks with renewable, low-emission diesel fuel.

Florida has won US$ 10 million for Talleyrand Marine Terminal in Jacksonville and the Port Everglades Terminal in Fort Lauderdale to replace diesel-powered trucks, while terminal improvements at the Seaboard Port of Miami will reduce truck idling time at the gates.

• Jacintoport International will receive US$ 1.8 million to install new terminal operating systems at the Seaboard Marine Port in Miami.  The terminal improvements are expected to cut truck idling time at the gates by at least 10 minutes, which, in turn, will ease truck congestion within the port and roads leading to the ports. The new system will improve the efficiency of trucks picking up or dropping off containers in the yard, reducing their operating time, the amount of carbon emissions, air pollutants and noise associated with idling trucks and equipment.
• Crowley Logistics, Inc. will receive US$ 8.3 million to reduce truck emissions, queueing, idling and traffic congestion at two ports in Florida – the Talleyrand Marine Terminal in Jacksonville and the Port Everglades Terminal in Fort Lauderdale. The project includes replacing diesel-powered trucks with electric utility tractor rigs and installing high-power DC fast chargers.

Louisiana‘s Port of New Orleans and its partners will receive US$ 7 million to buy 14 heavy-duty, all-electric terminal trucks, and five, light-duty, all-electric pick-up trucks to replace diesel vehicles currently in use. Funding also will be used to upgrade electrical infrastructure, track emissions and energy use, and evaluate new emissions-reducing equipment. Partners include BP Pulse, Entergy New Orleans, New Orleans Terminal, Ports America Louisiana, Urban League of Louisiana, and Nunez Community College.

In New Jersey, the Port Newark Container Terminal will receive US$2.2 million to replace 20 diesel trucks with more efficient vehicles that run on clean, low-emitting propane fuel. A study performed at the port showed that propane trucks will cut harmful nitric oxide emissions, particulate matter, hydrocarbons and greenhouse gases compared with diesel trucks currently used at the port facility.

Puerto Rico is getting US$ 6.6 million for port electrification and electrification of tractors.

• Crowley Logistics, Inc. will receive US$3.8 million to reduce truck emissions, queueing, idling and traffic congestion at the Isla Grande Terminal at the Port of San Juan in Puerto Rico. The project includes replacing diesel-powered trucks with electric utility tractor rigs and installing fast chargers.
• Puerto Rico Terminals will receive nearly US$2.8 million to buy seven zero-emission electric trucks to replace seven emission-producing diesel trucks at the Port of San Juan. In addition, seven fast-charging stations will be installed at the port, including upgraded infrastructure to support the new charging capabilities. As a result, nearly 3,000 fewer gallons of diesel fuel are expected to be used each year, improving air quality at the port and in neighboring communities.

The University of Alabama will receive US$4 million to implement a new fuel injection technology on trucks at the Port of Mobile that will reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants from idling trucks. Studies and continued testing of the new technology will be conducted at the port facility and has the potential for use nationwide.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation will receive US$5.2 million to modernize port gates and automate improvements at the Sand Island Terminal in Honolulu Harbor.

In Indiana, Current Trucking will receive US$4.4 million to replace diesel vehicles at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor with electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce heavy truck idling that contributes to air and noise pollution in the local community. By funding EV trucks and forklifts along with the accompanying charging infrastructure, the port will be able to transition to cleaner, more efficient maritime operations.

The Maryland Department of Transportation will receive US$642,000 to replace one diesel-powered street sweeper with one zero-emission unit to be used at the Port of Baltimore for moving cars and light trucks. Funding also will be used to research and develop the adoption of electric Power Take Off (ePTO) devices on carrier trucks, which average two hours of engine idling per trip while loading or unloading.

Washington‘s Northwest Seaport Alliance has secured US$16 million to provide financial incentives to independent owner-operators and small trucking companies to buy zero-emission, short-haul trucks. The funding could put between 36 to 58 zero-emission, heavy-duty trucks into operation along with the charging/fueling infrastructure needed to support those vehicles in the Seattle-Tacoma region.