Zero Emission Container Mover System (ZECMS)

Aiming to develop a plan for a pollution-free cargo-moving system, the Port of Long Beach is calling for technology ideas to one day replace the diesel trucks that travel between Port marine terminals and a local rail yard. The Port officially issued a "Request for Concepts and Solutions," on June 3, 2009, outlining the goals and requirements of the project, known as the zero-emission container mover system (ZECMS).

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) are seeking new technology to move containers between docks and the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility near West Long Beach, potentially eliminating thousands of short-haul diesel truck trips each day and reducing air pollution. Proposed technologies might include electric guideways, zero-emission trucks, or electrified rail, all of which use electricity to power the movement of cargo, rather than diesel-fueled trucks.

The project management team for the Request for Concepts and Solutions includes representatives from both ports and ACTA. The team will also enlist a panel of outside, independent experts, including the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, to help evaluate concepts for the ZECMS.

Based upon the review of the concepts submitted, ACTA might then issue a "request for proposals" for the design, construction, and operation of the system.

"The zero-emission container mover system marks another step in our quest to erase the toxic footprint of goods movement. We plan to challenge current technology and if we are successful, we will begin a new era in cleaner, faster freight movement with wide opportunities for applications nationwide," said Robert Kanter, the Port's managing director of environmental affairs and planning.