Congresswoman Laura Richardson's Statement to Congratulate Maersk On the 5 Year Anniversary of Their Switch to Low-Sulfur Fuel

Mr. Speaker, today marks the five year anniversary of Maersk Line's voluntary switch to low-sulfur Marine Gas Oil for the main and auxiliary engines for their 188 ships docked in California ports. As a representative of the 37th District of California, home to the largest port complex in the country, I applaud them and thank them for being an example of corporate responsibility to the citizens of the world.

Maersk Line is the largest container shipment company in the world. Founded in 1904, Maersk operates over 550 vessels and employs 24,500 people in 125 countries across the globe.

This voluntary action increased costs for the company by $20 million, but the 60,000 barrels of low-sulfur fuel that they used have lead to short and long-term health benefits for the people of my District and throughout Southern California. In the past five years, this switch has reduced their ship's contribution to air pollution by 3700 tons through lowering their Sulfur-Dioxide levels by 95%, their Nitrogen Oxide levels by 6%, and their Particle Matter levels by 86%.

I would like to thank Maersk again for making this incredible change and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.