The US port of Virginia is expanding its Green Operator (GO) programme to provide incentives to ocean carriers that burn ultra low-sulphur fuel or use alternative power technology while their vessels are moored at port authority-owned terminals.

Initially, the GO programme offered financial support to replace older, less eco-friendly short-haul trucks that serve ports in the Mid-Atlantic range.

Maersk Line will be the first ocean carrier calling Virginia to take advantage of the incentive.

All Maersk vessels calling at the port are burning low-sulphur fuel while its vessels are at idle during cargo operations. Once moored, they will draw fuel from an onboard tank filled with the cleaner-burning fuel.

The fuel-switch initiative will run for 13 months and involve 41 Maersk Line ships making more than 210 port calls. Through the programme, Maersk will receive a $300,000 incentive from Virginia Port Authority (VPA).

Lee Kindberg, Director of environment and sustainability at Maersk Line, said: "We estimate that the fuel switch will reduce emissions of sulphur oxides by 20 tonnes in the first six months."

Heather Wood, VPA's Director of environmental affairs, added that in three years a federal mandate would require all vessels plying North American waters to burn low-sulphur fuel.

VPA is also offering a one-off $500,000 per vessel incentive to ocean carriers that employ technology using no fuel while at idle during cargo operations.

Source: IFW Net