Southern California port, NYK Line team on green auto shipping corridor

The U.S. Port of Hueneme and ocean carrier NYK Line (OTC: NPNYY) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a green automotive shipping corridor between Japan and Southern California. 

The signing ceremony took place on Feb. 12 at the port, the companies said in an announcement.

“The MOU solidifies the commitment of both parties to explore innovative and sustainable shipping practices, with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, advancing energy efficiency, and promoting the use of alternative fuels and zero-emission technologies,” the announcement stated. “The partnership will also explore joint research and development efforts to push the boundaries of green technology in the maritime and automotive sectors.”

Located about 60 miles west of Los Angeles in Oxnard County, Hueneme is one of the top 10 U.S. ports for automobile imports. It handles approximately 400,000 vehicles annually — 20% of those battery electric vehicles. Hueneme counts 19 automakers among its customers, served by seven roll-on/roll-off ocean carriers.

In 2024 Hueneme’s exports totaled $957.75 million, up 17.31%, while imports were valued at $16.91 billion, up 10.33%.

Headquartered in Tokyo, NYK Line ranks among the world’s 10 largest ro/ro vehicle carriers with more than a hundred ro-ro ships in its fleet. NYK is a member with MOL (OTC: MSLOY) and K-Line in the ONE Alliance, the sixth-largest container carrier. NYK has publicly committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“This is not something we can achieve on our own. It requires building strong partnerships with many stakeholders,” said Yutaka Ikeda, managing executive officer of NYK Line, who attended the ceremony. “The signing of the MOU with the Port of Hueneme is quite remarkable for us and a big step toward achieving a greener future in the logistics industry.”

“This MOU is more than just a partnership — it’s a commitment to fostering innovation, reducing emissions, and promoting green technologies, all while enhancing the value we deliver to our communities and our stakeholders,” said Kristin Decas, chief executive and port director of the Port of Hueneme.

The port in 2024 announced a goal of zero-emissions port operations by 2030 as part of its Blueprint to Decarbonization Plan. The plan guides future purchasing of zero-emission equipment that will run on clean fuels to eliminate emissions from nearly all on-port operations.

NYK Line plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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