Toyota signs five-year Long Beach emissions deal with STAX

Toyota is the latest company to sign a long-term deal with STAX Engineering to meet California’s at-berth emissions regulations.

From the start of new California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards from January 2025, car carriers at Toyota’s berth in Port of Long Beach will have their emissions captured directly from the stack and processed onboard one of STAX Engineering’s self-propelled barges.

STAX told Seatrade Maritime News it has two barges currently in operation and a further eight under construction, with the company on track to have 20 barges by the end of 2025.

STAX expects to control around 9.6 tonnes of pollutants through the Toyota deal, which will reduce the environmental impact of the 200,000 vehicles arriving on ro-ro vessels at the Toyota Long Beach Vehicle Distribution Center each year.

Once captured by a vacuum tube on a long boom which covers a vessel’s stack at berth, the exhaust stream is processed onboard the barge, with STAX claiming to remove 99% of emitted particulate matter (PM) and 95% of emitted oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The solution is an approved alternative to using shore power while at berth.

The company has been on a roll recently as CARB regulations, which currently affect container, reefer and cruise vessels at berth in California, extend to ro-ro vessels and tankers at the ports of LA and Long Beach from January 2025. Shell recently signed a five-year deal for tankers calling its Mormon Island Terminal in LA.

Related:First tanker emissions capture and control deal signed for Shell LA terminal

“Implementing emissions capture and control technology for the ro-ros that are essential to our business represents a major environmental milestone for Toyota, the maritime industry, and the Long Beach port community,” said Missy Pearlman, general manager, Toyota Logistics Services. 

STAX is no stranger to auto logistics, with agreements already in place with NYK Line and Hyundai Glovis. 

“We set out to provide an emissions capture and control solution that was reliable, easily accessible, and cost-effective. As we begin to service Toyota, we’re confident that we can meet the needs of the full breadth of the maritime industry, furthering our impact on the local air quality, public health, and environment,” said Mike Walker, CEO of STAX.

To date, STAX said it has treated 98 at-berth vessels for a cumulative of 5,087 hours and 39 tons of pollutants.