NATION’S FIRST COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC CARGO TOP HANDLERS GO OPERATIONAL AT PORT OF LOS ANGELES
Five Zero-Emission, American-Made Cargo Handlers Replace Diesel-Powered Equipment at Yusen Terminals
LOS ANGELES – June 25, 2024 – The Port of Los Angeles reached another milestone in its quest to become a zero-emission (ZE) port today, deploying the first commercially available battery-powered electric cargo top handlers in the U.S. The five electric, human-operated top handlers purchased by Yusen Terminals will replace more polluting, diesel-powered equipment.
"We are building a greener Los Angeles together that supports frontline communities while making major investments in clean energy and creating thousands of good-paying jobs in the process," said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. "Our urgent work continues alongside partners like Yusen Terminals to transition the Port of Los Angeles to clean technology as we continue to support a sustainable, greener future for “America’s Port” that provides 1 in 9 jobs in the region and a nationwide economic reach."
“These all-electric cargo top handlers are the culmination of years of rigorous, real-world prototype testing and development here at our port,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “I commend Yusen Terminals for its vision and leadership. Our collective commitment to pursuing this technology has paid off, helping prove this equipment’s commercial viability.”
“Yusen Terminals is proud of our partnership with Taylor Machine Works resulting in these first five commercially available EV top handlers being put into production at our Port of Los Angeles facility,” said Alan McCorkle, President and CEO of Yusen Terminals. “It is a major first step in our journey to zero emissions.”
Typically diesel-powered, top handlers are off-road vehicles with an overhead boom for loading containers weighing up to 75,000 pounds onto trucks and trains, unloading them, and stacking them on terminals between pickups and deliveries.
In 2019, the Port of Los Angeles was the first in the world to begin testing ZE top handler prototypes designed and built by Taylor Machine Works, a leading U.S.-based heavy-duty equipment manufacturer already supplying top handlers in service at the Port. The rigorous real-world testing of battery-powered prototypes helped inform the final design of the Taylor commercial units put into service at Yusen Terminals today.
The new Taylor ZLC 996 top handlers will be powered by a 650V all-electric battery power drivetrain, capable of running two-full shifts under normal work cycles, then ready-to-go after a five-hour boost using a180W recharger.
There are currently 215 diesel top handlers used throughout the Port of Los Angeles, which account for about 30% of all emissions from cargo-handling equipment in operation at the Port’s terminals. Promoting the commercial use of ZE top handlers is one of many strategies underway at the Port to boost the market for new emission-free technologies.
Toward that goal, last month the Port applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a $412 million grant to support deployment of 424 pieces of ZE cargo handling equipment, 250 ZE drayage trucks, and $50 million for community ZE initiatives. If awarded, the EPA million grant would be matched with an additional $233 million by the Port and several private sector partners, and result in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by nearly 41,500 tons.
The Yusen Terminal electric top handler deployment is among a range of Port of Los Angeles programs designed to help meet its nation-leading sustainability goals, including the transition of all cargo handling equipment on its terminals to ZE by 2030, and all drayage trucks calling at the Port to ZE by 2035.