Aiming to develop a plan for a pollution-free cargo-moving system, the Port of Long Beach is calling for technology ideas to one day replace the diesel trucks that travel between port marine terminals and a local rail yard.
The port officially issued a “Request for Concepts and Solutions,” on Wednesday, June 3, outlining the goals and requirements of the project, known as the zero-emissions container mover system (ZECMS). To help potential idea submitters, the port will hold a “pre-submittal conference” on July 9 at Port of Long Beach headquarters. Document submissions will be due by 4:30 p.m. Sept. 25.
The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) are seeking new technology to move containers between docks and the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility near West Long Beach, potentially eliminating thousands of short-haul diesel truck trips each day and reducing air pollution. Proposed technologies might include electric guideways, zero-emissions trucks or electrified rail, all of which use electricity to power the movement of cargo, rather than diesel-fueled trucks.
The project management team for the Request for Concepts and Solutions includes representatives from both ports and ACTA. The team also will enlist a panel of outside, independent experts, including the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, to help evaluate concepts for the ZECMS. Based upon the review of the concepts submitted, ACTA then might issue a “request for proposals” for the design, construction and operation of the system.
“The zero-emissions container mover system marks another step in our quest to erase the toxic footprint of goods movement,” says James C. Hankla, president of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. “We plan to challenge current technology, and if we are successful, we will begin a new era in cleaner, faster freight movement, with wide opportunities for applications nationwide.”
For information on how to submit a proposal, contact Eric Shen, port director of transportation planning, at [email protected] or 562-590-4155. To download the ZECMS “Request for Concepts and Solutions,” click here.
