- Green Shipping Corridors to Drive Decarbonization at the Port of Long Beach.
- Port of Long Beach Tackles Challenges of Ammonia as a Marine Fuel.
- Smaller-Scale Bunkering Solutions: A Stopgap for Alternative Fuels in Long Beach.
The Port of Long Beach is to expand its bunkering capacity to accommodate lower and net-zero emission marine fuels. This is in support of its commitment to the green and digital shipping corridor with the Port of Los Angeles and Singapore, reports S&P Global.
Current State of Bunkering at Long Beach
Heather Tomley, Managing Director of Planning and Environment Affairs for the Port of Long Beach, highlighted the need to scale up bunkering operations: “We don’t do as much bunkering today in LA [Los Angeles] and Long Beach [compared to Singapore]. I think that’s more of an area of operation that will need to be expanded in our ports to be able to support these alternative fuels.”
The port has conducted a baseline study to understand shipping activities along the trans-Pacific corridor and to explore decarbonization opportunities. It is now engaging with potential shipping line partners to assess their needs for alternative fuels, such as fuel types and delivery timelines.
Challenges in Transitioning to Alternative Fuels
Tomley emphasized the complexity of introducing new fuels: “That takes a while where we are to get through the approval process, get through the permitting process and start to establish those operations with these fuels that are going to be different, and there will be a learning curve.” The port aims to streamline these processes through early engagement with stakeholders to ensure readiness.
Green Shipping Corridor Initiatives
The Port of Long Beach joined a green and digital shipping corridor with the Port of Singapore and Los Angeles in April 2023. More details were announced at the UN Climate Change Conference. The port is also part of the Shanghai-Los Angeles green shipping corridor, targeting the deployment of a zero-lifecycle greenhouse gas emission ship by 2030.
Focus on Methanol as a Marine Fuel
Methanol is emerging as a preferred marine fuel in the near term. Tomley noted the industry’s interest in methanol, stating: “All of the shipping line partners that are a part of that [Shanghai-Los Angeles] corridor are already making vessel orders for ships that use methanol, while at the same time, they’re exploring what an ammonia option might look like.” While the port has facilities that can store methanol, mechanisms for ship bunkering are still lacking.
Challenges with Ammonia as a Marine Fuel
Ammonia, though promising, poses greater challenges due to safety and toxicity concerns. Tomley explained: “The use of ammonia as a marine fuel is a lot more challenging… There’s going to be more fueling that occurs. I think bunkering will become more of an operation in Long Beach and Los Angeles.”
To address this, the port is exploring safety standards and training within shipping corridors.
Interim Bunkering Solutions
Until larger facilities are developed, the port may rely on smaller-scale solutions similar to its LNG bunkering operations initiated in 2022. Tomley said: “As sort of a stopgap to be able to provide the fuel, we’ve figured out a mechanism where we can do it at a smaller scale because we don’t have larger facilities.”
Expanding Green Corridors
Green shipping corridors are key to introducing cleaner fuels and technologies. Tomley explained: “Our hope is that through doing some initial deployments, bringing on some shipping lines that are committed partners that are ready to route vessels along this corridor, we can then start there and then expand out.”
For now, the Port of Long Beach is focused on its partnerships with Singapore and Shanghai while monitoring the global rise of green corridor initiatives, which grew from 21 to 44 in 2023.
Overextending Resources
Tomley cautioned about overextending resources: “We need to be careful that we don’t get green corridor fatigue because it is a lot of the same shipping line partners that are lined up to participate in all these different corridors.”
By prioritizing key partnerships and scaling operations strategically, the Port of Long Beach aims to lead in sustainable maritime innovation.
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Source: S&P Global
