Long Beach port invests $58M in zero-emission equipment

The expenditure is part of the port's System-Wide Investment in Freight Transport (SWIFT) initiative, which is partially funded by the California State Transportation Agency, port officials said in a press release. The initiative aims to advance modernization, make cargo movement more efficient and reduce environmental impacts on neighboring communities, they added. Port tenants and operators will use the funding to acquire 61 units of zero-emission, human-operated cargo-handling equipment and 21 chargers to power them; deploy six zero-emission and five clearer harbor craft to replace older diesel engines; and purchase a zero-emission locomotive. "Expanding our clean technology portfolio is critical to the future of goods movement and to the health of the communities around us," said POLB CEO Noel Hacegaba. "We are not waiting for the future to arrive; we are shaping it and leading the way by deploying the latest zero-emission equipment to make a difference today." POLB is served by Pacific Harbor Line, which interchanges with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.