California, Environment, FMC, Ports, trucking
In Environment, Green Transportation, Ports on January 8, 2010 at 2:49 pm
The Federal Maritime Commission has formed a Maritime Environmental Advisory Committee. This isn’t fresh news–the FMC announced the action last November–but it’s still worth noting.
It is a smart move by Chairman Rick Lidinsky. He announced it, appropriately so, while on a visit to the San Pedro Bay ports. Says the FMC press release: “I wanted to recognize these ports’ leadership in demonstrating that the maritime industry can remain commercially competitive while acting in a manner consistent with the country’s commitment to energy independence and environmental standards.” While those two largest of US ports have led the way in greening seaport operations the Lidinsky comments were a particular reference to the ports’ more recent Clean Trucks Program. It was his way to demonstrate the agency’s new leadership.
The program–in conjunction with the efforts of an enlightened shipper community–has been very successful in reducing port drayage trucking diesel emissions by a praiseworthy 80 percent. Doing it well ahead of schedule. The program has inspired similar action in other parts of the country and, with the exception of one particular element, has the strong support of both public and private interests. (The exception is the controversial “employee driver” provision in the Los Angeles plan that is being challenged by the American Trucking Association in court.)
The formation of the FMC panel followed by several months a decision in the FMC to halt its action against the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Their joint action raised technical issues under the Shipping Act and that prompted an FMC complaint in court as well as the decision to start an FMC enforcement investigation. (The environmental objectives of the clean trucks program were not challenged.) The decision to withdraw the complaint took place before Lidinsky’s arrival at the FMC.
The bid in court proved unproductive. I’ve not the training to judge the merits of the complaint. But I do know that the new chairman–a sharp fellow–knew what he was doing when he asked his staff what was their understanding of the environmental issues that color and confront maritime related activity in the United States today.
On learning the answer Lidinsky took action. A Maritime Environmental Advisory Committee was formed. Strictly an internal panel, the press release notes that the staff committee’s purpose is “consistent” with Obama administration policy for the development of “green jobs”, etc. A reference to creating jobs is de rigueur for a government press release these days, likewise an ethos statement on seeking “a more sustainable approach to maritime issues.”
On a more basic level, however, the new advisory committee would help the commissioners understand what is going on in the maritime realm and tune the agency’s work–its deliberations and services–to what is an undeniably changed environment–regardless of the party in power–in which business and government now has to operate. And smartly so. Pbea
AMH, California, marine highways, trucking, USDOT
In Marine Highway, Surface Transportation Policy on November 6, 2009 at 5:59 pm
The rules of the road will help define the market for marine highway services. A prime example is the Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulation that limits the time truck drivers can spend behind the wheel. These are excerpts from American Shipper of October 29, 2009. (The links are mine.)
The U.S. Department of Transportation and its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday agreed to revisit rules on hours of service for truck drivers to resolve a lawsuit by safety advocacy groups and the Teamsters union.
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The hours-of-service rule allows drivers of commercial vehicles to drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. The rule also has a 14-hour maximum workday limit so that drivers have to clock off even if they haven’t driven all 11 of their allowed hours. And drivers must take a 34-hour break after being on the job seven or eight consecutive days.
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The trucking industry objected to the original changes five years ago, which added an extra hour to the maximum time behind the wheel but shortened the overall work day and the restart period, but has since adjusted to and supports the current rule.
Trucking companies comply with Federal requirements and adjust operations accordingly. One adjustment may be in how they schedule drivers for long hauls. If the daily allowable driving time is reduced under revised HOS regs then one response could be to substitute vessels for a long leg of the long haul. Instead of dispatching a driver for the full trip put two drivers to work on the short hauls between the origin/destination points and the ports at either end.
The authors of “Operational Development of Marine Highways to Serve the U.S. Pacific Coast,” which recently appeared in the Transportation Research Record (September 2009), see that potential.
Marine highways are viable for longer routes such as those from California to the Pacific Northwest, where truck rates are higher and both distance and trucking hours-of-service regulations permit vessels to be time competitive at lower speeds. (from the abstract)
One of the authors is Ron Silva of Westar Transport, a California trucking firm that understands the operational benefits of a transportation system that would make it possible for trucks to spend time on the water. Pbea
barge, California, marine highways, shippers, USDOT
In Green Transportation on July 31, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Persons famliar with Secretary LaHood’s meeting with public and port officials in Oakland tell me that folks might be surprised to know which California official was most enthusiastic about the prospects for Bay Area marine highway service. Among those at the meeting were two California cabinet members (Food & Agriculture and Business, Transportation & Housing) and the director of Caltrans.
The Eco Transport project has been in development for a few years. The business plan is to reduce the need for truck moves into Oakland by deploying barges to move containers between Oakland and the Ports of Stockton, initially, and Sacramento. The company notes that such an operation also will make unnecessary a great many empty container moves and the associated costs of fuel and exhaust. Export containers could be loaded heavier in Stockton because they would not have to meet road weight restrictions. And carbon counters are sure to like the shrinking of the significant carbon footprint of trucks carrying imports into the central region, and California exports to Northern California’s principal international gateway. Indeed the company has done its due diligence to substantiate the environmental benefits of their new marine highway service. And the result has been the endorsement of regional and State air quality agencies.
So which official at the meeting revealed great eagerness and anticipation about the green barge service? It was Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura. He and the growers/shippers of the Central Valley are enthusiastic about the prospects for barges carrying goods to Oakland and then on to a ship for the export market. And when a shipper is looking forward to taking its goods to the water that’s a very encouraging sign.
California, LaHood, marine highways, Oakland, Ports, USDOT
In Ports on July 27, 2009 at 2:24 pm
DOT Secretary Ray LaHood was in Oakland on July 2nd talking freight and ports. He was importuned by local, State and Federal office holders about the need for a national goods movement policy. He was told that infrastructure improvements strengthen the capacity of ports to serve the nation. He heard them say there’s a need for equity among West Coast ports. He volunteered that a California “ports czar” might be what’s needed. (Although that may not be what the folks in Oakland have in mind.)
He also reiterated his view that marine highway development should be realized and would be “transformational.” His tweet from Oakland: “US ports provide transportation for the 21st century.”
The key to creating more environmentally friendly ports, LaHood said, is to transport more goods by ship rather than trucks. He mentioned, in particular, the importance of a “marine highway” along the West Coast. “We will be putting a good deal of emphasis on the marine highway in order for us to get trucks off the road and get cleaner air,” LaHood said. (Source: Chris Metinko, Oakland Tribune)
