- 35 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx)
- 50 tons of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10)
- 46 tons of particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)
- 441 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)
- 1,353 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2)
These emission reductions will improve local air quality and public health in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria non-attainment area.
While fuel switching is prevalent along the West Coast, this project will be the first of its kind in the U.S. Gulf and specifically involving the Port of Houston Authority. The program is also the latest initiative launched under the port authority’s Clean Air Strategy Plan (CASP), an outreach and implementation plan demonstrating the port authority's commitment to environmental stewardship, air quality improvements, and sustainability. “This project is a win-win,” says Charlie Jenkins, port authority vice president of strategic planning. “It’s a good program with one of our business partners, and is yet another example of the Port of Houston Authority charting the course in preparation for the new Emission Control Area approved by the International Maritime Organization. We’re building business partnerships and helping the environment at the same time.” The fuel-switching program will be in place prior to implementation of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA), an effort which the Port of Houston Authority has supported. On March 26, 2010 the IMO officially designated waters off North American coasts as an area in which stringent international emission standards will apply to all ships. Starting in August 2012, the ECA will require that the sulfur content in fuel be no greater than 1.0 percent. By 2015, all ships operating in the designated ECA will be required to use 0.1 percent sulfur marine fuels. According to the EPA, by 2020 the ECA is projected to result in the reduction of as many as 14,000 premature deaths, provide relief from respiratory symptoms for nearly five million people each year, and provide more than $110 billion in health-related benefits.