S. California eyes stronger cooperation with China on low-carbon shipping

A container ship of China's COSCO Shipping docks at a container terminal of the Port of Long Beach in California, the United States, Aug. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

Attendees focus on ways to lower emissions and further decarbonize the shipping and logistics sectors at the two countries' ports.

LOS ANGELES, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Participants in a U.S.-China Green Port and Low-Carbon meeting have called for stronger port cooperation between the two countries to jointly promote carbon emissions reduction and sustainable port operations.

Representatives from over 60 global shipping and logistics companies, container terminals, zero-emission technology developers, and original equipment manufacturers gathered at the meeting in Long Beach, Southern California, on Sunday to explore potential opportunities for trans-Pacific cooperation between Southern California and China's Shenzhen, a technological innovation hub in southern China's Guangdong Province.

They focused on ways to lower emissions and further decarbonize the shipping and logistics sectors at the two countries' ports.

They also held in-depth discussions regarding potential sister-port cooperation between the Port of Long Beach, the U.S. second busiest port, and the Port of Shenzhen and potential collaboration in green ports and low-carbon shipping initiatives.

The Port of Long Beach is the most important gateway for China-U.S. trade, with more than 70 percent of its cargo volume related to China, said Peng Jing, commercial counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles.

In order to jointly build a clean and beautiful world, China and the United States need to strengthen cooperation in new energy technology innovation, promote cooperation in clean energy industry chain, and build a new win-win model of green energy and low-carbon transformation, she said.

"In terms of green and low-carbon development, the U.S. market has demand, Chinese products have advantages, and there is broad space for cooperation between the two parties," Peng noted.

She said that both Yantian Port in Shenzhen and the Port of Long Beach are actively promoting green port construction, expressing her hope that the two ports further enhance communication and exchanges, deepen practical cooperation in clean energy and low-carbon environmental protection, and jointly promote the green development of China-U.S. shipping and logistics industries.

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 29, 2017 shows a view of the Yantian Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

"For the Port of Long Beach, the green port, we're very proud to work with the U.S.-China exchange (program) in terms of net emissions, decarbonization, in terms of what we need to do," said Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach.

He said it is exciting to have discussions with Chinese partners with regard to sustainability via emissions reduction.

Wayne Nastri, executive officer of South Coast Air Quality Management District, expressed his hope for greater partnership for green revolution.

"We know that as we develop new technologies, we have responsibility. We need to make sure that as those technologies are being developed, there's a real market for it," he said.

"And we know that in order to get to zero emissions, to clean the air, for our communities to improve public health, we have to deploy those technologies, and we have to do it in a way that business can utilize and thrive," he added.

Neville Lam, commercial director of Hutchison Ports Yantian, shared the port's practice in pursuit of green initiatives and eco-friendly operations.

Hutchison Ports Yantian is the leading gateway serving import and export container traffic generated by its immediate cargo hinterland in the Pearl River Delta region in China.

Calling the port one of the biggest container terminals of the world, Lam said it has been ranked No. 1 in annual throughput in China for consecutive 20 years.

"Looking ahead, Hutchison Ports Yantian is committed to achieving a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) by 2030 compared to the 2021 levels, and we remain steadfastly committed to pursuing our long-term goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions," Lam said.