
The Port of Los Angeles is collaborating with ferry service Catalina Express and whale watching tour agency Harbor Breeze Cruises on a series of projects to test emission-reduction technology for specialized harbor craft.
The project, made possible in part by a $31 million California Air Resources Board (CARB) grant, would demonstrate two harbor craft emission-reduction technologies and a comprehensive assessment of “next-generation, less-polluting harbor craft,” the port said Jan. 16.
The Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction (LA MER) project calls for designing, building and launching a passenger ferry running on Tier 4 engines and “potentially a CARB-verified, U.S. Coast Guard-approved diesel particulate filter,” according to the port.
Catalina Express would operate the ferry, which would be fueled with renewable diesel. The ferry would replace three smaller vessels powered by Tier 2 and Tier 3 engines.
“For over 43 years, Catalina Express has been environmentally conscious and has been able to meet or exceed federal and state regulations to help reduce emissions,” Catalina Express President and CEO Greg Bombard said.
“In addition to the re-engine projects,” he added, “the company has worked with their fuel provider to migrate a majority of the Catalina Express vessels to renewable diesel, which is derived from a base of soybean oil and other vegetable stocks.”
With Harbor Breeze Cruises, the LA MER project includes designing, building and launching a pair of zero-emission capable excursion vessels, which would enable it to run at least “30% of the time in zero-emission mode, with some trips operating as much as 100%,” according to the port.
“To achieve our goal of becoming a zero-emission port, we need to incorporate a range of emission-reduction technologies throughout our port complex, as well as promote their commercialization,” Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement.