A green future beckons

Greenfield developments, such as the new APM terminal in Norfolk, are being designed around modern technologies, such optical scanning and radio frequency identification, that will speed trucks through its gates, cutting down on the pollution from idling engines. The yard’s rail array of gantry cranes (six ship-to-shore and thirty rail mounted) will be all electric. Similarly, the Express Rail interface in Port of New York/New Jersery (PoNYNJ), on dock rail linkages will sharply curtail local drayage traffic.

The PoNYNJ seeks to infuse sustainability into all aspects of its ports business. For example, a retrofit program will switch out older generation diesel engines with low emissions replacements on yard equipment at its container terminals. The Port Commerce Department is also working directly with truckers to assist them in securing low interest financing for upgrading to environmentally friendly equipment.

Down the coast, Florida’s Port Everglades has begun the implementation of a voluntary “Green Port Program” where the environment enters into an integrated decision-making program where Port operations, tenants, customers and the general public are all involved.