Port of Hueneme receives government funding to install shore power

The US Port of Hueneme has been granted funds worth $10.4 million to install shore power at its North terminal.

PHOTO: Representatives of the Port of Hueneme and VCTC at the grant ceremony. Port of Hueneme

The grant has been provided by Californian civic body Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and is aimed at alleviating congestion and reducing emissions in the port.

Mary Anne Rooney, president of the Oxnard Harbor District, which owns the port, said that the grant is “historic and unprecedented.”

Meanwhile, Oxnard Harbor commissioner Celina Zacarias claims that the funding will help to reduce emissions of particulate matter by 94% and nitrogen oxides by 99% in the port for all vessels capable of connecting to shore power.

Notably, shore power came online in the South Terminal of the port back in 2014, and mainly been used by container ships.

Apart from the VCTC grant, the port recently received funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust to further its emission reduction goals.

Shore power has been gaining momentum among port operators and ship operators as they look to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions while in port.

Last month, Swedish shipping firm Furetank received domestic state and EU climate funding to install a shore power connection onboard one of its dual-fuel tankers that is currently under construction at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard.

Also, a study conducted by the Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EKUK) in the Tallinn Old City Harbour revealed that measures including automatic mooring equipment and shore power have improved the air quality in the Port of Tallinn.

By Tuhin Roy

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