SSA Marine announced in March that it has put into service the first of six pieces of zero-emissions cargo-handling equipment that the company plans to introduce at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal over the next 12 to 18 months.
The port has completed the initial installation of the electrical infrastructure needed to support the operation of this equipment, according to SSA.
The equipment’s purchase was partially funded by the state of California’s Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) voucher program, an incentive project intended to encourage off-road equipment users to purchase or lease currently commercialized zero-emission off-road equipment.
SSA’s first piece of zero-emissions equipment in operation at San Diego’s Tenth Avenue terminal is a 55,000-pound capacity Wiggins Yard eBull battery electric forklift. According to SSA, the large-capacity vehicle, one of the largest zero-emissions heavy-duty forklifts in operation in the U.S., can lift up to 25 metric tons.
Called the Carrillo, the electric forklift is named after SSA Marine Regional Vice President and San Diego County native Joe Carrillo. The company has said he facilitated the arrival of the first large-capacity electric forklift fleet in the country, including 26 Wiggins Yard eBull electric forklifts at SSA Marine terminals at the Port of West Sacramento and the Port of Stockton.
The Wiggins Yard eBull is the industry’s first commercialized large capacity, zero-emissions forklift manufactured in the U.S., according to SSA.
“SSA Marine is proud to partner with the Port of San Diego to demonstrate the potential of zero-emissions equipment in a marine terminal environment and to further understand what the long-term benefits could look like,” Bill Fitz, senior vice president of SSA Marine’s conventional division, said in a statement.
“The Port of San Diego’s proactive approach to electric infrastructure development has been critical to the success of this program, and we look forward to continuing to work together to (transition to) additional pieces of zero-emissions cargo-handling equipment in the years ahead,” he added.
“SSA Marine is the kind of partner we like doing business with,” Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners Chair Frank Urtasun said. “We share a commitment to improving public health and quality of life on and around our marine terminals.”