New Cranes to Scale Back Massport Emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $333,185 to the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to help retrofit five rubber tired gantry cranes with new diesel engines that will reduce air pollution. The cranes are used to load drayage trucks at the Conley shipping terminal in Boston and reposition containers within the yard.

The funding, made possible under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), is part of nearly $28 million in grant funds being awarded by EPA nationwide for clean diesel projects in 2015, and is the only project in New England to be selected for DERA funding this year.

The grant will allow Massport to replace five older, Tier III diesel engines with current EPA Tier-4F certified diesel engines. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and carbon dioxide (CO2) by an estimated 7.62 tons, 0.06 tons and 155.4 tons, respectively. This is estimated to be the equivalent of planting 3,615 trees. The new Tier-4F engines are also more efficient, conserving approximately 2,800 gallons of diesel fuel per unit per year.

The grant will cover up to 25-percent of the labor and equipment costs of each of the engines. Massport will fund the rest of the $1.3 million project.

The EPA and Massport have been working to reduce diesel emissions at Conley and in the South Boston neighborhood for several years.