The Port of Long Beach has approved three new measures aimed at improving air quality and accelerating the transition to zero-emission freight operations, strengthening its partnership with the Port of Los Angeles and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).
The package includes a $40 million regional investment in zero-emission truck charging and fuelling infrastructure, with Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles each contributing $20 million. The programme will expand charging infrastructure beyond the San Pedro Bay port complex to key freight locations across Southern California.
The measures also strengthen incentives for cleaner oceangoing vessels calling at the ports. Enhanced green-ship incentives are intended to encourage shipping lines to deploy vessels with improved environmental performance.
In addition, the ports will introduce a new incentive programme designed to accelerate the deployment and use of zero-emission drayage trucks. The initiative is intended to support the transition of short-haul freight operations away from conventional diesel-powered vehicles.
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the measures unanimously on August 11, following approval by SCAQMD on August 7. The Port of Los Angeles is scheduled to consider the measures on August 13.
The Port of Long Beach currently has 102 truck charging stations, the highest number among US seaports, while another 92 charging stations are expected to become operational later in 2026.
The new measures build on the ports’ broader Clean Air Action Plan and their long-term strategy to develop zero-emission infrastructure for trucks, cargo-handling equipment, harbour craft and other port operations.
The ports are also preparing comprehensive zero-emission infrastructure plans, with the first phase expected to be released in spring 2027. The latest initiatives are intended to provide measurable progress toward cleaner freight movement while maintaining the efficiency and competitiveness of the San Pedro Bay port complex.
