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

Equilon Enterprises LLC, trading as Shell Oil Products US (Shell), has contracted STAX Engineering to provide emissions capture and control solutions for tankers at Shell’s Mormon Island Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles for a five-year period.

The arrangement will allow tankers to comply with new California Air Resources Board (CARB) emissions regulations for vessels at berth. Already in place for container, reefer and cruise vessels, the regulation will extend to tankers and ro-ro vessels at Port of LA and Port of Long Beach terminals from January 1, 2025, and to tankers at all regulated terminals from January 1, 22027. Compliance with the rules requires the use of shore power, or approved emissions capture and control.

The terminal plan for Shell's Mormon Island Terminal berth 168, updated in Jnaury 2024, said 100 vessels were expected to use CARB-approved emission capture and control equipment annually, with a further 20 vessels using a novel strategy of capturing unregulated emissions from OSVs to generate credits to offset tanker emissions where it was not possible to control the tanker emissions directly. Given examples for reasons direct capture might not be possible were no availability from the primary capture and control provider, or the tanker stack configuration being unsuitable.

Related:Port of Hueneme to use exhaust-sucking barges to control emissions

STAX’s solution uses self-propelled barges that deploy a long boom with a vacuum pipe to envelop the exhaust stack of a vessel at berth and capture engine emissions. Exhaust fumes are drawn down to the barge, where the company claims its processes remove 99% of particulate matter (PM) and 95% of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), before releasing the gas stream.

The company has exclusive agreements in place at California ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme, Benicia, Richmond, and Oakland, and partnerships with shipping companies including NYK Line and Hyundai Glovis.

To date, STAX said it has treated at-berth vessels for a cumulative 4,800 hours and 37 tons of pollutants controlled.