The Long Beach City Council unanimously approved the Ship It Zero Resolution 6-0. This resolution unites the ports of San Pedro Bay in their commitment to zero-emission ocean shipping by 2030.
It also calls on the port of Long Beach to create “greener” international maritime corridors, building the recently announced corridor from Shanghai to Los Angeles and Long Beach.
“As a hub for international trade, Long Beach and its residents face significant impacts from cargo ship pollutants,” said Al Austin II, Long Beach City Council Member, District 8.
“As cleaner, emission-friendly technology becomes more available, it is necessary for the city and those who utilise our port to take every feasible step to curb airborne emissions wherever possible,” he added.
The resolution also calls for support for legislative or administrative action to speed up the decarbonisation of the maritime shipping industry and to create zero-emission shipping corridors.
“What happens out at sea hardly gets the attention it needs, but every day from downtown Long Beach we see the brown haze stretch out over the ocean from ships burning heavy oil at sea and diesel offshore. Today’s passage of the Ship It Zero resolution is a win-win-win,” said Cindy Allen, Long Beach City Council Member, District 2.
“A win for Long Beach residents, a win for our climate and a win for the planet. We need major shipping companies to lead the way to a cleaner future and ship their goods using only the best available technologies,” she continued.
Pollution from the international ocean shipping industry is on the rise and is expected to account for 17% of global carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 without emergency action, according to a statement, while communities adjacent to the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach have up to eight years lower life expectancy than the Los Angeles County average.
