New funding moves Long Beach closer to becoming world’s first zero emissions port

A commitment by the Port of Long Beach to become the world’s first zero-emissions port advanced Monday with the authorization of $58.2 million to purchase and deploy additional zero-emissions, human-operated cargo handling equipment, cleaner harbor craft and a zero-emission locomotive.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the expenditure, part of a larger grant from California’s State Transportation Agency for System-Wide Investment in Freight Transport (SWIFT). This initiative is designed to lead the deployment of the cleanest technologies, support goods movement efficiency and reduce environmental impacts on neighboring communities.

The investment will allow tenants and operators to:

• Acquire 61 units of zero-emission, human-operated cargo-handling equipment, along with 21 chargers to power them;

• Deploy six zero-emission and five cleaner harbor craft that displace older diesel engines;

• And advance one zero-emission locomotive.

“Expanding our clean technology portfolio is critical to the future of goods movement and to the health of the communities around us,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “We are not waiting for the future to arrive, we are shaping it and leading the way by deploying the latest zero-emission equipment to make a difference today.”

“The Port of Long Beach continues to invest in zero-emission infrastructure and deploy a suite of incentives for early adopters of these technologies,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “This latest round of funding builds on the Port’s broader SWIFT program, which is accelerating the transition to zero-emission operations while improving the reliability and efficiency of cargo movement.”

To learn more, please visit polb.com/swift.

The Port of Long Beach is building the Port of the Future, guided by its bold new 2050 vision and a plan to double current container volumes to 20 million annually by 2050. By strategically modernizing the Port’s infrastructure with $3.3 billion in capital investments over the next decade and developing digital systems to dramatically enhance efficiency and visibility, the Port is also becoming the world’s first zero-emissions port. Today the Port moves cargo valued at $300 billion a year and generates 2.7 million jobs across the U.S., as it continues to lead the world on sustainability programs and plans to double those benefits by doubling volume. As one of only 18 commercial strategic seaports in the U.S. with a duty to support force deployment during national defense emergencies, a community partner that offers $3 million per year in sponsorships for local nonprofits and a major catalyst for workforce development creating opportunities for students far and wide, the Port is well-positioned for even higher achievements. After all, industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for a seventh consecutive year and “The Best Green Seaport” in 2025. The Port of Long Beach. Always open. Always moving.