The Port of Long Beach reported Wednesday that emissions per container reached an all-time low in 2025, despite the port handling a record nearly 9.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units.
According to the port’s annual emissions inventory, emissions from port-related operations declined from 2024 to 2025 by 7% for diesel particulate matter, 9% for nitrogen oxides, 9% for sulfur oxides and 6% for greenhouse gases.
Since the 2017 update of the Clean Air Action Plan adopted with the neighboring Port of Los Angeles, diesel particulate matter has declined 13%, nitrogen oxides 34% and sulfur oxides 29%, the report found, officials said. Greenhouse-gas emissions increased 9% over that period, while container throughput rose 31%.
“These findings confirm one of our foundational principles — that it’s possible to serve as a vibrant and strong jobs engine for the nation while protecting the environment,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Steven Neal said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of our achievements and will continue our unwavering commitment to cutting emissions for our community.”
The inventory found that 95% of drayage trucks serving the port were model year 2014 or newer, while 2% of the fleet was zero-emission. It also found 21% of vessel calls involved ships equipped with Tier III engines, and 21% of cargo-handling equipment was zero-emission.
Use of shore power and emissions-control barges by ships at berth increased 11%, according to the report.
The port said it plans in the coming year to launch a truck utilization incentive program to increase use of zero-emission trucks, expand its zero-emission truck voucher program, update its Green Ship Incentive Program and continue developing a zero-emission infrastructure plan.
The annual emissions inventory is reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board and South Coast Air Quality Management District, according to the port.