‘Green’ shipping lines awarded

The shipping lines were awarded for their efforts to improve Southern California’s air quality by slowing down or deploying cleaner vessels.

POLB’s Green Flag Programme was created in 2005 and participation today is nearly universal. In 2012, almost 96%of all ships calling at the port slowed to 12 knots within 20 nautical miles, while more than 83% of vessels slowed from 40 nautical miles.

Slower ships burn less fuel, producing less pollution. 13 shipping lines including CMA CGM, COSCO, Alaska Tanker Co LLC, Mitsui OSK Lines and BP Shipping, were awarded the Green Flag.

In addition, a total of 10 shipping lines, including Navig8 Group, Wan Hai Lines, OSG International and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, received the first Green Ship awards for assigning the cleanest ships to Long Beach.

Of those awarded, three companies collected both Green Flag and Green Ship awards – Hanjin Shipping, Mediterranean Shipping Co and OOCL.

The Green Ship Programme supports the port’s Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP). By 2023, the port aims to have 50% of all its ship calls be from Tier 2 vessels and 40% from Tier 3, which will reduce NOx emissions from ships by 2,700 tonnes a year.