The California Air Resources Board says that COSCO Container Lines Co., has paid $965,000 in penalties for violating the Ocean-Going At-Berth Regulation.
The diesel air pollution violations were discovered during routine audits of the Shanghai-based company’s 2014-2017 fleet visits to the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the Port of Oakland. COSCO Container Lines committed over 2,600 air quality violations during visits to California ports.
“CARB’s At-Berth Regulation is a game changer that is helping to dramatically improve our air quality in some of our most impacted communities in the state,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard W. Corey. “That is a key reason why we are working to increase the stringency of the program. But the success of the program is predicated on compliance with its requirements and swift enforcement action if there are violations.”
CARB’s investigation revealed that from 2014-2016, COSCO’s visits to these ports did not meet operational time limits for at least half of the visits. The fleet also failed to reduce the auxiliary engine power generation by the required 50%. Combined, these failures resulted in 2,401 violations of the Ocean-Going At-Berth Regulation.
For the 2017 compliance year, COSCO’s Oakland fleet did not meet operational time limits for at least 70% of the fleet’s visits and did not reduce the auxiliary engine power generation by 70% as required, resulting in 211 violations.
To settle the case, COSCO agreed to pay $965,300 to the Air Pollution Control Fund to support air pollution research, and to comply with all applicable CARB regulations.
COSCO also committed to have 100% of its vessels shore-power capable, and early compliance with the 80% reduction requirements before the 2020 deadline stipulated in the Regulation. COSCO cooperated with the investigation and met its commitment for exceeding 80% power reductions in 2018.
Adopted in 2007, the At-Berth Regulation was designed to reduce emissions from diesel auxiliary engines on container ships, passenger ships and refrigerated-cargo ships while berthing at a California port. Vessel operators can either turn off auxiliary engines and connect to grid-based shore power or use alternative technologies to comply with the emission reduction requirements of the regulation. The regulation requires a fleet operator to reduce at-berth oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from its vessels’ auxiliary engines in port by at least 80% by 2020.
In 2020, a new regulation aimed at capturing greater emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth will be presented to the Board for approval with the first compliance deadline in 2021.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
COSCO Container Lines Fined $965,000 By CARB
The diesel air pollution violations were discovered during routine audits of the Shanghai-based company’s 2014-2017 fleet visits to the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the Port of Oakland. COSCO Container Lines committed over 2,600 air quality violations during visits to California ports.
“CARB’s At-Berth Regulation is a game changer that is helping to dramatically improve our air quality in some of our most impacted communities in the state,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard W. Corey. “That is a key reason why we are working to increase the stringency of the program. But the success of the program is predicated on compliance with its requirements and swift enforcement action if there are violations.”
CARB’s investigation revealed that from 2014-2016, COSCO’s visits to these ports did not meet operational time limits for at least half of the visits. The fleet also failed to reduce the auxiliary engine power generation by the required 50%. Combined, these failures resulted in 2,401 violations of the Ocean-Going At-Berth Regulation.
For the 2017 compliance year, COSCO’s Oakland fleet did not meet operational time limits for at least 70% of the fleet’s visits and did not reduce the auxiliary engine power generation by 70% as required, resulting in 211 violations.
To settle the case, COSCO agreed to pay $965,300 to the Air Pollution Control Fund to support air pollution research, and to comply with all applicable CARB regulations.
COSCO also committed to have 100% of its vessels shore-power capable, and early compliance with the 80% reduction requirements before the 2020 deadline stipulated in the Regulation. COSCO cooperated with the investigation and met its commitment for exceeding 80% power reductions in 2018.
Adopted in 2007, the At-Berth Regulation was designed to reduce emissions from diesel auxiliary engines on container ships, passenger ships and refrigerated-cargo ships while berthing at a California port. Vessel operators can either turn off auxiliary engines and connect to grid-based shore power or use alternative technologies to comply with the emission reduction requirements of the regulation. The regulation requires a fleet operator to reduce at-berth oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from its vessels’ auxiliary engines in port by at least 80% by 2020.
In 2020, a new regulation aimed at capturing greater emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth will be presented to the Board for approval with the first compliance deadline in 2021.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.