APL Receives Port of Los Angeles Quality Award

APL received the Port of Los Angeles’ top environmental prize for improving air quality. The world’s seventh-largest container carrier, APL received the second annual Clean Air Action Plan Award at a ceremony attended by Southern California maritime and government officials.

“We’ve always believed that global trade growth isn’t possible without responsible environmental management,” said Earl Agron, vice president of Environmental Affairs at APL. “We’re pleased that the Port of Los Angeles agrees with us and has recognized our efforts.”

The Clean Air Action Plan Award is the latest in a series of environmental honors presented to APL by the port. In the past year the company has been singled out for using cleaner-burning low sulfur fuel in vessel engines and for a speed reduction program that curbs ship emissions near the California coast.

APL’s marine terminal is one of the largest and busiest at the Port of Los Angeles. Opened in 1997, it was designed to minimize exhaust emissions resulting from container handling activities, says APL.

The port’s award highlighted a number of design features, which include: Twenty-two electronic gantry cranes that take the place of diesel-powered cranes; rail lines that extend to the dock, eliminating thousands of diesel truck trips each week; and more than 600 electrical plugs to avoid the use of diesel generators in cooling refrigerated cargo.

APL has also spent nearly $1 million to install new engines in 195 container-hauling tractors.