Multiple environmental efforts at the Port of Seattle have paid off for the gateway as it has gotten a “green” stamp of approval of sorts from a recent study touting it as offering the lowest carbon footprint for containers moving shipped between Asia to the Midwest. The study titled “Carbon Footprint Analysis for the Asia to North America Intermodal Trade” helps determine a container’s carbon footprint by factoring its size and utilization, among other things. Herbert Engineering, which was commissioned by the port to conduct the Continue Reading

On the heels of the California Air Resources Board’s new program aimed at cleaning up drayage vehicles and multiple clean air campaigns directed at ports, a new regional group is will use public and private funds to create “one of the nation’s most generous programs aimed at replacing old, highly polluting trucks.” The Mid-Atlantic Dray Truck Replacement Program will combine resources of the four states in the region, along with Continue Reading

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded its SmartWay programs to include a dray-truck initiative to help clean up ports by targeting what are most often the most egregious offenders. Under the terms of the program, carriers commit to track and reduce particulate-matter and nitrogen oxides emissions over a three-year period. Furthermore, they will dedicate the newest or cleaner trucks in Continue Reading

Both the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have reported double-digit increases in container traffic for February compared to the same month a year ago. For the Port of Long Beach, that represented the 15th consecutive month of growth. Imports were up 12.4 percent, but exports were down by 1 percent. Empty container moves were up 25.3 percent; most are bound overseas for refilling. For the Port of Los Angeles, it reports a 10-plus Continue Reading

The first phase of infrastructure improvemets to boost efficiency of Canada’s trade with North America and Asia is underway. The development of a four-lane divided expressway and upgrades to Highway 75 around CentrePort Canada is just the beginning of a multi-pronged plan to move trade more effectively across the country and into the Asia Pacific Gateway, as well as the United States and Mexico. The project calls Continue Reading

With the help of the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT), SmartWay certification will be extended to port trucks closely following the EPA’s initiatives directed at over-the-road carriers. Initially modeled after clean truck deployments at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the SmartWay port plan will be based on air quality and Continue Reading

A national public policy research center is taking issue with port trucking, saying it abuses the environment in the name of competition. Demos, the group that released the report, said that while deregulation helped encourage competition by driving down freight rates, competition has also led ports to shirk environmental responsibility. The recommendations of the report Continue Reading