Students studied development of clean technology for goods movement

The Port of Long Beach collected a prestigious Clean Air Award on Friday for an education outreach program that connected local high school students to a project developing non-polluting, zero-emissions cargo-moving technology on the docks.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Clean Air Education Outreach award for the Port and the Academy of Global Logistics at Cabrillo High School was presented Friday at the SCAQMD’s 31st annual Clean Air Awards luncheon at the Grand Hotel in Los Angeles.

Sixty high school students at the West Long Beach campus worked with industry experts and learned about cargo operations at the nation’s second-busiest seaport for their “Zero-Emissions Transformation Capstone Project.” The students studied the real-world issues of “C-PORT” — the Commercialization of POLB Off-Road Technology project, a demonstration of the use of zero-emissions cargo-handling equipment at two terminals in Long Beach. C-PORT is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.

“Connecting our Academy of Global Logistics students together with our work on zero-emissions technology was so gratifying. I’m doubly pleased to see the students and the Port recognized for this groundbreaking collaboration,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal. “Our education outreach programs aim to show our local students the universe of career opportunities in international trade and goods movement, and I think we’ve definitely hit the mark here.”

“I’d like to thank our partners in the California Air Resources Board, labor, the marine terminals, educators and the students, who all share in this recognition,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “I hope that these students and many more like them will join us as we continue to build the green port of the future.”

The SCAQMD’s Clean Air Education Outreach Award is for outstanding individual or group effort designed to educate the public on air quality issues, promote efforts to improve air quality, or both.

Established in 2016 in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, the Academy of Global Logistics at Cabrillo High School is part of the Port of Long Beach’s comprehensive education outreach programs that nurture future industry leaders and experts. About 670 students so far have participated in the four-year Academy program, which combines academic curriculum with industry-relevant training to support educational and career development.

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $200 billion in trade annually, supporting more than 575,000 Southern California jobs.