Posted on November 11, 2024
A dense fog hung over the Savannah River Friday morning, hiding the tops of the massive ship-to-shore cranes from the skyline over the Georgia Ports Authority. On the ground below hundreds of trucks were moving containers from one point to the next. Each one of the ships docked at the port and every one of those trucks burned diesel and expelled emissions into the air.
A short distance away inside the GPA conference room, Griff Lynch, GPA president and CEO, described how the Ports will be lowering those carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 15,00 tons a year. This major undertaking is happening with the help of a $48.7 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The grant, which is also funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, is part of the EPA’s Clean Ports Program, which supports the purchase of zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure.
“We want to reduce emissions because we know that these emissions are not good for the employees that work at the port or the communities that exist around the port,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. “So, we are looking for opportunities to reduce those emissions and better everyone who’s associated with the port.”
The grant will help fund new cargo handling equipment and will support the installation of “vessel shore power systems” at three berths in Savannah, including two at Ocean Terminal and one in Brunswick. These systems will allow the ships to plug into shore power and turn off their engines while docked. The EPA grant will also fund 16 electric terminal jockey trucks and charging infrastructure.
For Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, finding a way to balance commerce and health at the same time is vitally important, especially for residents on the city’s west side. “The EPA’s Clean Port Grant not only underscores Georgia Ports Authority’s proactive dedication to environmental stewardship, but also reflects a shared vision about how do we get there together? How do we help our city, how we help our surrounding communities?” said Johnson. ”We love the $48 million, because this is an expensive proposition. But then again, doing the right thing is never cheap. It has to be big-time investments to be able to tackle big-time issues in our community.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and will take about three years to complete.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle announces a $48.7 million grant given to the Georgia Ports Authority to help bring “vessel shore power systems” to 4 berths, 3 in Savannah and 1 in Brunswick, during a press conference on Friday, November 8, 2024 at the Georgia Ports Authority.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson sits behind the wheel of a TICO electric jockey truck as he talks with TICO President Timothy Orr on Friday, November 8, 2024 at the Georgia Ports Authority. It was announced during a press conference that the Georgia Ports Authority was receiving a $48.7 million grant from the EPA to help the Port lower emissions.
