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425 S. Palos Verdes Street,
San Pedro, California USA 90731
Phone: (310) 732-3508
Email: community@portla.org

Environmental Ship Index Program

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Port of Los Angeles Voluntary Environmental Ship Index Program

Two container ships on the horizon
The Port of Los Angeles’ voluntary Environmental Ship Index Program has been developed to reward vessel operators for reducing diesel particulate matter (DPM), greenhouse gasses (GHG), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from their ocean-going vessels (OGVs).
 
This program rewards operators for going beyond compliance by bringing their newest and cleanest vessels to the Port and demonstrating cleaner technologies onboard vessels, encouraging these practices in advance of regulations. OGVs are the single largest source of goods movement-related air emissions in Southern California and make up approximately half of all port-related air emissions.

There are three additional incentive opportunities within this program (more information and online registration instructions below):
 
  • Environmental Ship Index Incentive
  • International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III Standards (OGV5)
  • Technology Advancement Program Demonstration (OGV6)

To be eligible for any of these incentives, operators must register with the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). Click here to register with the Environmental Ship Index. (Vessel operators must provide basic information about their company. Once a company account has been established, operators can register as few or as many of their vessels as they want. To continue to qualify for the incentive, shipping lines must provide quarterly data updates.)

To receive the incentive payment, operators also must register with the Los Angeles Harbor Department (LAHD). Registration is free, and the incentive grant is paid on a quarterly basis. Click here to register with the Los Angeles Harbor Department. Submit completed LAHD ESI Enrollment forms to AQIncentives@portla.org. LAHD registration tells the Port where to send the remittance and what tax forms are required.
 
LAHD ESI Enrollment Form Submit Completed Enrollment Form

Environmental Ship Index (ESI) Incentive

Environmental Ship Index Incentive

The Environmental Ship Index (ESI) is an international clean ship indexing program developed through the International Association of Ports and Harbors' (IAPH) World Ports Climate Initiative that seeks international collaboration among ports and shipping lines to reduce air emissions and greenhouse gases, while promoting sustainability. Operators earn the ESI incentive by using cleaner technology and practices that reduce emissions beyond the regulatory requirements set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A point system resulting in an ESI score for each vessel is used to qualify for the incentive. To obtain an ESI score, the operator must upload the following information to the ESI website:

NOx Points: Rated power, and rated engine speed (rpm) and actual NOx emissions (g/kWH) for the vessel’s main and auxiliary engines. (This information is contained in the vessel’s EIAPP Certificate.)

SOx Points: Amount and fuel sulfur content per bunkering event for heavy fuel oil, marine gas oil (MGO)/marine diesel oil (MDO) above 1 percent sulfur, less than or equal to 0.5 to greater than 0.1 percent sulfur and less than 0.1 percent sulfur (This information is contained in the vessel’s bunker delivery notes). Confirmation that the vessel is Onshore Power Supply (OPS) ready or capable of plugging into shoreside electrical power also known as Alternative Maritime Power® (AMP®).

CO2 Points: Vessel operator reports fuel consumption and nautical miles sailed.

The greater the ESI score, the larger the incentive. Each OGV is eligible for an incentive grant on a per call basis to the Port of Los Angeles based on the following ESI scores:

  • 40-49: $750 per call
  • 50 or greater: $2,500 per call

The Port of Los Angeles will pay incentives to vessel operators for ship calls only after the date they have registered for ESI.

Register with the ESI

IMO Tier III Standards - OGV5

OGV5 - International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III Standards
The Ocean-Going Vessel Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) Measure 5 (OGV5) incentive focuses on reducing NOx from vessels in transit by rewarding shipping lines with the cleanest ship engines.An ocean-going vessel with an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III main engine is eligible for an incentive grant of $5,000 per call.
 
The IMO Tier III emission standard is required for marine diesel engines installed on or after January 1, 2016 that are used on ships operating in IMO Emission Control Areas (ECA) designated for controlling NOx emissions. The North American ECA covering the Port has been in effect since August 1, 2012. The IMO Tier III main engine NOx emission limit is 3.4 g/kW-hr.
 
OGV5 incentive funding is distributed through the Port’s ESI program. To participate in the OGV5 incentive funding, click here to register with the Los Angeles Harbor Department. Submit completed LAHD ESI Enrollment forms to AQIncentives@portla.org.  LAHD registration tells the Port where to send the remittance and what tax forms are required.
LAHD ESI Enrollment Form

Technology Advancement Program Demonstration - OGV6

OGV6 - Technology Advancement Program Demonstration
The Ocean-Going Vessel Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) Measure 6 (OGV6) Technology Advancement Program (TAP) demonstration incentive is designed for existing vessels calling at the Port of Los Angeles. This program provides an incentive for OGVs that are demonstrating an emission reduction technology that reduces DPM and NOx emissions. All testing and demonstrations will be conducted through the San Pedro Bay Ports Technology Advancement Program. TAP demonstration is eligible for an incentive grant of $750 per call.
 
OGV6 incentive funding is distributed through the Port’s ESI program. To participate in the OGV6 incentive funding, click here to register with the Los Angeles Harbor Department. Submit completed LAHD ESI Enrollment forms to AQIncentives@portla.org. LAHD registration tells the Port where to send the remittance and what tax forms are required.
LAHD ESI Enrollment Form