A newly built barge designed to capture emissions from moored vessels has been completed and will soon be heading to California’s Port of Benicia, STAX Engineering, the company behind the technology, announced.
STAX’s new emissions capture and control barge will service vessels at berth in the port under an exclusive service agreement with automotive ports logistics and processing solutions provider AMPORTS.
The Port of Benicia serves as an entry gateway for auto carriers coming from Asia, Europe, and Mexico, as well as a departure point for vessels heading to Asia. AMPORTS manages the import of approximately 260,000 vehicles each year, accounting for about 20% of all vehicles brought into California by sea.
STAX, which announced its agreement with AMPORTS in April, said it will help the automotive servicing company meet emissions reduction regulations set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Under CARB’s 2020 At Berth Regulation, oceangoing vessels calling at regulated California ports or marine terminals must use a CARB-approved solution to control emissions while at berth.
A CARB grantee, STAX offers mobile land- and barge-based emissions capture and control solutions. The company said its patented exhaust capture system fits all ships without modification, filtering exhaust to remove 99% of particulate matter (PM) and 95% of nitrogen oxides (NOx) before releasing purified gas.
The barge bound for Port of Benicia is STAX’s fourth. The company also has service agreements at other California ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme, Richmond, and Oakland.
