The Port of Long Beach claims to be offering the “world’s most generous sustainable vessel financial incentives” for green ships calling at the US west coast port.
Vessels calling at the California port from 1 July could be eligible for up to $9,000 in rebates on every call if they meet certain emissions criteria.
Earlier this month, the port approved changes centred around incorporating the international Environmental Ship Index (ESI) into the port’s green ship incentive programme.
A voluntary system, the ESI is said to identify ships that exceed the current emission standards of the International Maritime Organization.
There are around 58 ports worldwide and more than 8,400 vessels that are said to participate in the ESI, which was started in 2011.
The updated programme includes three incentive levels – base, intermediate and premier — ranging from $600 to $6,000, depending on a vessel’s ESI score.
For the base level, the ship must have an ESI score from 25 to 47 to be eligible for $600. For the intermediate level, each call should have an ESI score from 48 to 53, which would make it eligible for $3,000. Finally, the premier level requires an ESI score of 54 or above, making the vessel eligible for $6,000 per call.
NOx emission control
In addition, vessels with main engines meeting the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III standard, which require dedicated NOx emission control technologies, are eligible for an additional $3,000 credit.
Operators must register their vessels with the port and provide the relevant tax documentation to ensure payment.
They are also required to register in the ESI portal and have valid nitrogen and sulphur oxides scores during the applicable call.
A twice-yearly fee is required by ESI for system administration. However, the base level incentive would cover the cost of this fee entirely.
The vessel operator will be required to submit an invoice to the port that demonstrates a valid ESI score, and to provide the necessary documentation for any Tier III ship calls.
Long Beach harbour commission president Frank Colonna said the goal was to “increase participation in the already successful green ship programme by aligning it with international sustainable maritime transportation efforts”.
“These incentives are the largest offered to vessels and Tier III ships of any port, and we expect the update will have positive impacts in Long Beach and around the globe,” he added.
The port said it paid more than $1.7m in incentives were paid to shipping companies in the green ship programme in 2020.
