"At the Core is Sustainable Port Operations in Communication with Local Community"

Mr. Lytle stresses in an interview at the 'Clean Port Conference'

The Shippers' Journal had an interview with Mr. Chris Lytle, who is the executive director of the port of Long Beach, on 20th March at the Seoul Press Center where 'The 1st Clean Port Conference' was held. Mr. Lytle participated in the conference as a speaker and we asked him some questions on-site. The conference was co-organized by Shippers' Journal and CSR Today.

- First of all, we appreciate your participation in the clean port conference as a speaker. This is the first time the conference under this title has been held in Korea. What is your impression?

Korea is an important trading partner for the Port of Long Beach and the U.S. in general and I’m delighted to be here to share our experiences in making a cleaner seaport. When it comes to cleaning up the Port, it’s very important to us to be able to let other ports know what we’ve done and how we’ve done it.

- The port of Long Beach is a forerunner as far as clean port is concerned. Please advise us the outcome so far and your future vision?

The Port of Long Beach in 2005 committed to greening its operations and we’ve worked very hard to fulfill the goals and objectives of our Green Port Policy. We’ve started programs to tackle every source of port-related air pollution, committed to maintaining a clean harbor and we’ve reached out to our neighbors to share our story.

And we’ve been successful. We’ve reduced diesel particulate air pollution by 75 percent since 2005. We’ve cut nitrogen oxides air pollution by 50 percent. We’re also not through. We’ve committed to finding ways to further reduce the health impact of port operations on the local community. Our goal is to be the world’s first zero emissions port.

- What do you think is the core of clean port concept?

I think at the core it’s sustainable port operations, including engagement with community. We are creating a sustainable business model that protects the environment and conserves resources so that the Port will prosper for generations to come. It is vital for us to inform and engage the people of Long Beach and Southern California, so they support our business and insure that we fulfill our commitments to continuing to work on building a greener port.

- Do you think the clean port is an important factor in port competitiveness?

Our efforts to clean the air and water allow us to modernize the Port with new and redeveloped infrastructure. As we modernize, we become even more competitive. For example, we are redeveloping our “Middle Harbor” terminal, combining two old terminals into one state-of-the-art container terminal with twice the capacity and half the air pollution emissions. Without a clean port, we cannot expect to maintain public support. Other ports are beginning to see this, too.

- I think the cooperation with the local community and the state government must be important so as to implement your 'clean' policy. How do you work this one out?

Yes, the local community and various government agencies have been active partners in our journey. We never would have been able to achieve what we have without the help of the community. The community and government agencies were the ones to demand that the Port evolve into a green port, and we agreed, it needed to be done. To continue this mutually beneficial relationship, we work hard to keep open the lines of communication.

- Mega container vessel is becoming a trend in the shipping industry. Please tell us interrelationship between such a trend and clean port.

We’ve made no secret that we’re “big ship ready.” We have had calls by the 13,800-TEU MSC Beatrice and other megaships. The larger ships are more efficient, carrying more containers with less emissions and less fuel per container. We’re doing what we need to do, to make sure more of our terminals can serve the bigger ships.

- If there should be any cooperative works between the port of Long Beach and Korean ports, please advise us.

Seaports can gain much from cooperation. We know that we could learn much from Korean ports and we are very eager to build bridges between us. We expect trade between Korea and the Port of Long Beach to continue to grow and we will work on enhancing that progress. Korea is especially important, as our second leading trading partner.

- Korean ports are also faced with the task of 'making a clean port'. What advice can you give us as to how to approach this proposition?

Network and reach out to other seaports, like the Port of Long Beach, which have been finding ways to successfully reduce environmental impacts while retaining economic activity. And make sure you share your efforts, let the community know exactly what you are intending to do and how you will do it. The Port of Long Beach is a leader in reducing air pollution because our region has been very polluted. We needed to work hard to reduce emissions. Now that other ports would like to learn how we’ve done that, we’re happy to share our knowledge.

- During the presentation, you mentioned 50% of container ships are required to plug into shore power system in 2014 to eliminate emissions from the ship. What measures should be taken by shipping lines?

We said to the industry "we'll prepare all the land-side infrastructure. We will go through all the dock work, all the cabling, everything required on the shoreside, we'll do that." Then we said to the line "But you have to be accountable for everything on the vessels." So in on the vessels that requires some cabling, big switch panels. Normally electricity on the vessel is generated from large generators on the vessels. So now those are shut down to prevent from exhaust gases of the vessels. In there, you have switch panels. So you switch it, then it takes the power from the shoreside.

(Interview by Young-il Hahn)