Port of Hueneme launches second emissions capture barge

The Port of Hueneme has announced the launch of its second emissions capture and control barge from emission reduction technology firm STAX Engineering.

IMAGE: STAX Engineering’s emissions capture and control barge STAX 6. STAX Engineering

The barge, named STAX 6, will enable the port to cater to all its commercial terminals, according to STAX Engineering chief executive Mike Walker.

This is the port’s second STAX barge, following the arrival of the first in November last year.

STAX’s system works by capturing exhaust gases—such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM)—directly from a vessel’s funnel. It connects to the vessel using steel pipes and hoses, either from a barge or a land-based exhaust-gas treatment unit, preventing emissions from being released into the air.

This process does not require any additional equipment to be installed on the vessel itself. The technology can capture up to 99% of PM and 95% of NOx, STAX Engineering claims.

Currently, only eight such barges are operating across California, with the Port of Hueneme using two of them.

Last year, STAX Engineering signed service agreements with major California ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme, Benicia, Richmond, and Oakland, to support exhaust emission capture.

The Port of Hueneme is located on the southern California coast, approximately 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

By Tuhin Roy

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