Port Of Los Angeles Research Articles

Multivariate Analysis of Sediment Toxicity in an Ocean Ecosystem: A Southern California Bight Case Study.

Contaminated sediments can negatively affect aquatic organisms and beneficial uses of coastal regions. Monitoring programs typically collect many indicators of sediment toxicity, yet multivariate approaches that comprehensively evaluate data across heterogeneous spatial environments are frequently not performed. In this paper, we explore a multivariate approach to show that a list of suspected drivers of sediment toxicity to native Mytilus galloprovincialis (mussel) and Eohaustorius estuarius (a marine amphipod) population can be narrowed down without excluding samples, and that redundancies in sampling sites can be identified and isolated. Using a 153 × 28 data matrix assembled from a southern California-wide bight monitoring program, we demonstrate by this approach that Port of Los Angeles (PLA) and San Diego Bay (SDB) contained the most toxic sediments in the bight in 2008, the nature of which was unique to each locality. (Note: Little toxicity was observed here in 2013 and 2018.) In PLA sediments, mussels were more affected than amphipods, with higher survivability associated with low Hg and Sn levels. Conversely, amphipods had higher mortality than mussel embryos in SDB sediments, with higher survivability associated with low Be and Co levels. Nitrogen, organic content, and finer sediment particles were not related to the survivability of these organisms.

Deep learning-based container throughput forecasting: a triple bottom line approach

PurposeContainer throughput forecasting plays a pivotal role in strategic, tactical and operational level decision-making. The determination and analysis of the influencing factors of container throughput are observed to enhance the predicting accuracy. Therefore, for effective port planning and management, this study employs a deep learning-based method to forecast the container throughput while considering the influence of economic, environmental and social factors on throughput forecasting.Design/methodology/approachA novel multivariate container throughput forecasting method is proposed using long short-term memory network (LSTM). The external factors influencing container throughput, delineated using triple bottom line, are considered as an input to the forecasting method. The principal component analysis (PCA) is employed to reduce the redundancy of the input variables. The container throughput data of the Port of Los Angeles (PLA) is considered for empirical analysis. The forecasting accuracy of the proposed method is measured via an error matrix. The accuracy of the results is further substantiated by the Diebold-Mariano statistical test.FindingsThe result of the proposed method is benchmarked with vector autoregression (VAR), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMAX) and LSTM. It is observed that the proposed method outperforms other counterpart methods. Though PCA was not an integral part of the forecasting process, it facilitated the prediction by means of “less data, more accuracy.”Originality/valueA novel deep learning-based forecasting method is proposed to predict container throughput using a hybridized autoregressive integrated moving average with external factors model and long short-term memory network (ARIMAX-LSTM).

Port of Los Angeles—Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission EcoPartnership on shore power

In July 2014, the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission (SMTC, formerly Port of Shanghai) entered into an EcoPartnership focused on reducing air emissions at both ports by instituting and expanding the use of Shore Power on ocean-going vessels while at berth. In 2004, POLA became the first port in the world to have a container ship plug into shore power through their Alternative Maritime Power™ (AMP™) program. Since then, the shore power plug-in program has expanded to include all container terminals and the cruise terminal at POLA, and significant air emission reductions have occurred as a direct result of those efforts. The EcoPartnership builds upon that experience to support the development of SMTC's capabilities in technology, strategy, and policy development as it relates to shore power. POLA and SMTC developed annual milestones extending through the term of the EcoPartnership agreement with a goal of successfully setting up and implementing a Shore Power program at a Shanghai terminal, including the successful operation of four shore power-ready terminals by 2017. Through their term in the EcoPartnership program, both ports will continue to collaborate and learn from each other on a variety of environmental issues. The potential benefits of the EcoPartnership extend much further. It is envisioned that coordinated development of compatible shore power infrastructure will encourage ship owners to more rapidly convert their fleet to allow ships to plug in, expediting emission reductions at both ports. Additionally, this project will serve as an example that other ports across the globe can use to implement shore power programs at their facilities.

Clean trucks in California ports: modelling emissions policy

The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) Clean Trucks Programme is a controversial environmental sustainability initiative adopted to restrict the use of drayage trucks hauling goods to and from port terminal operations. Pending litigation on the constitutionality of the programme, and proposed new legislation that would give the federal government and local authorities a greater role in curbing emissions from harbour trucking, it has important ramifications for the port and shipping sector. We review interactions between maritime ports and the enterprise and institutional interests connected with the current status of the initiative. We use a game theoretical model to anticipate the effects of potential truck conversion policies. Courts, legislators, and interest group advocates can use this knowledge to support proactive policies and create incentives for additional Clean Trucks Programmes.

Development of DPF and DeNOx Combined for Rubber-Tired Gantry Crane (RTG)

Recently, the regulation of the diesel engine (DE) exhaust has become stricter due to environmental considerations. It is now required to take countermeasures against DE exhaust on the material handling of equipment in the container terminal. Mitsui Engineering & Ship Building Co., Ltd. (MES) has proposed to the market a solution for DE exhaust of Rubber Tired Gantry Crane (RTG) and has developed a combined system of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and NOx Reduction System (DeNOx) . A Continuous Regenerating Trap method is newly applied for DPF. An Urea Injecting SCR method is used to improve the DeNOx performance of the system. With these new methods, a target reduction rate of 50% for PM, and 80% for NOx have been achieved. This confirmed by measurement and analyzing field data of the RTG in operation. The system was mounted on the RTG and its durability and reliability were verified through the pattern test for each operation mode, and throughout 1, 500 hour operations. In 2006 MES acquired the certification of DPF from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Air Resource Board (CARE) . In 2007 orders were placed by the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) .

Use of Centrifuge and Numerical Modeling in Design of Pier 400 at the Port of Los Angeles

Port of Los Angeles (POLA) is involved in the creation of 235 ha (580 acres) of new land called Pier 400 by dredging and landfilling behind rock dikes. Because of the complicated nature of the project, POLA chose a fully coupled, elastoplastic, dynamic finite-element code called DYSAC2 as part of the seismic design of Pier 400. The predictions made by DYSAC2 were first validated using dynamic centrifuge model tests. Centrifuge model tests consisting of gravel dikes retaining sand backfills overlying stratified foundation soils also provided insight into the expected deformation mechanisms of Pier 400 cross sections. Centrifuge models indicated that the dikes will move more or less as a rigid block with most of the lateral deformations being concentrated in the foundation soils. These observations were confirmed by analyses of centrifuge models and Pier 400 cross sections using DYSAC2. Because of the rigid body movement of the dikes, a hybrid analysis procedure, between simplified Newmark’s method and the DYSAC2 analysis procedure in sophistication, was developed for the lateral deformation calculations of the Pier 400 cross sections. The hybrid method is similar to Newmark’s method, but yield acceleration values are calculated using average excess pore pressures predicted by DYSAC2 in the foundation soils and the landfill. In essence, the Pier 400 design team and POLA used results from sophisticated fully coupled procedures and centrifuge model tests together with traditional embankment analysis techniques and engineering judgment to produce a viable and safe seismic design of Pier 400 dikes and landfill.