Cosco diverting cargo to less environmentally stringent Long Beach, LA port boss claims

Cosco Shipping is diverting cargo away from the Port of Los Angeles to nearby rival Long Beach because of more lax environmental rules at the latter, the head of Los Angeles port claimed yesterday.

Cosco “made a strategic decision to move cargo away from our Berth 100 Port of Los Angeles to their terminal in Long Beach because they have less stringent mitigation measures at that facility,” Gene Seroka told the Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners.

Cosco Shipping officials in Shanghai declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Splash today.

Lori Ann Guzman, president of Long Beach’s harbour commission, deflected Seroka’s criticism, saying: “We are known as the green port, to suggest that we have less stringent environmental standards is inaccurate. We have superior customer service and an outstanding relationship with the clients.”

Earlier this week the mayors of Los Angeles and Long Beach vowed to move toward zero emissions in port operations by 2035.