Port of Oakland will receive grant funds of US$5.2 million from the federal government Maritime Administration (MARAD) that will be dedicated to electrical power upgrades.
This grant is expected to support the US port’s clean energy efforts, as well as its vision of eliminating emissions from maritime operations, with the following measures:
- Construction of a fuel cell site and a solar panel installation with battery storage
- Replacement of an electrical substation
- Connecting the substation to a biomass generator
“We’ve got an ambitious clean air goal,” said Port of Oakland executive director, Danny Wan, who added, “This grant from the Maritime Administration is an important moment in helping us take another step toward our goal of zero emissions from maritime operations.”
The Port of Oakland applied last summer for funding from the US Department of Transportation, with a long-term objective to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels in cargo handling operations.
The grant was made through MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) and the Port of Oakland said it would request funds from the state of California, while “additional funding is necessary to advance its clean energy aspirations.”
The Californian port has made several actions towards sustainable cargo handling. It has established a shore power system that plugs ships into the electrical grid at berth.
In addition, more than 15 battery-powered big rigs are currently in operation in the seaport, transporting cargo containers, while 13 massive cargo handling cranes have been converted to hybrid engines.
