Port officials from Los Angeles and Nagoya have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand collaboration on important environmental and operational efficiency measures.

Port community systems and digital supply chain information sharing, zero-emission vehicle and equipment testing, and a new Green Shipping Corridor linking the two ports are among the efforts.

The new three-year deal expands on the 2020 MoU.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director, Gene Seroka, said: “Today marks another major milestone in the longstanding partnership between the ports of Los Angeles and Nagoya.

“This agreement is a testament to the success that can be achieved when ports commit to work together, share ideas and advance mutual priorities.”

Yuji Kamata, Executive Vice President of the Nagoya Port Authority, stated: “This agreement paves the way to advance environmental sustainability and operational efficiencies at both of our ports.

“We look forward to further cooperation with the Port of Los Angeles so that both ports can further prosper as we move toward a new era of achieving carbon neutrality.

”The new three-year MoU involves sharing best practices and exchanging information on issues of operational efficiencies, such as the development, deployment and promotion of port community systems for end-to-end supply chain information sharing.”

Both ports committed to continue working on the development and testing of zero-emission cars and equipment; environmental programmes centred on terminal operations, ships in port, and drayage trucks; and energy consumption and alternative energy sources under the new agreement.

This project will aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cargo transport between Nagoya and Los Angeles, as well as to support and promote the use of low and zero-carbon ships and fuels.

In May, cargo volume at the Port of Los Angeles climbed for the third month in a row, with the port handling 779,140 TEU.