At-Berth Regulation

⚠︎ STATUS: UNDER THREAT

Quick facts

  • 55%

    projected reduction in cancer risk for communities near the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Richmond

  • 80%

    reduction in harmful emissions across 13,000+ vessel visits since 2014

  • 2023

    year the U.S. EPA granted federal authorization for California’s updated regulation

What this policy does

California’s At-Berth Regulation requires ocean-going vessels to control emissions while docked at the state’s busiest ports. In most cases, ships must plug into shore power rather than run diesel engines while at berth. It’s designed to cut smog-forming and cancer-causing pollution (nitrogen oxides and diesel particulate matter) from ships idling at berth, protecting nearby port communities’ air quality while vessels load, unload, and resupply.

  • Container ships
  • Cruise ships
  • Refrigerated cargo carriers
  • Roll-on/roll-off vessels / auto carriers
  • Tankers

Vessels must either:

  • Plug into shore power, or
  • Use another CARB-approved emissions-control strategy that meets the regulation’s requirements

Port-adjacent communities in:

  • Los Angeles
  • Long Beach
  • Oakland
  • Richmond
  • San Diego
  • Oxnard

Many of these communities are low-income communities and communities of color that already experience disproportionate exposure to air pollution.

Where things stand

What’s happening: The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) is suing to overturn the EPA’s authorization of this waiver. WSPA is a major oil industry trade association and lobbying organization in California — directly linked to the weakening of California’s climate change laws.

What’s at stake: If the challenge succeeds, California could lose one of its longstanding protections against pollution from ships at berth — putting years of public health gains, infrastructure investments and regulatory planning at risk. Ports, vessel operators, manufacturers, utilities and contractors have already invested significant resources and years of planning to meet California’s regulatory framework.

Rolling back the regulation could also strand existing investments in shore power infrastructure and other emissions-control technologies.

Why it matters

  • Cleaner air for port communities

    Port-adjacent communities in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Richmond face some of the highest pollution-related cancer risks in California. California’s updated At-Berth Regulation is projected to reduce cancer risk by 55% for communities near these ports.

    The regulation is also expected to deliver a 90% reduction in pollution from covered vessels, along with approximately $2.31 billion in public health care cost savings.

  • Proven emissions reductions

    California’s broader At-Berth program has already achieved an 80% reduction in harmful emissions across more than 13,000 vessel visits since 2014.

    Rolling back these protections could put those gains at risk — particularly for communities that already bear a disproportionate share of port-related pollution.

  • Protecting existing investments

    More than $450 million has already been invested in implementing California’s At-Berth program. Vessel owners have invested an estimated $500,000 to $1.1 million per vessel to retrofit ships for shore power.

    Weakening the regulation now could strand these investments and undermine the certainty businesses need to continue investing in cleaner port infrastructure.

  • Supporting jobs and infrastructure

    Shore power infrastructure also creates economic opportunities. Port installations can support hundreds of short-term construction and manufacturing jobs, along with permanent maintenance and electrical positions.

Take action

Keep California’s clean-air protections in place

California’s At-Berth Regulation is reducing harmful ship pollution and protecting communities near the state’s busiest ports. Now, those protections are under threat.

Contact your members of Congress and urge them to defend California’s authority to reduce ship pollution and keep the At-Berth Regulation in place.

Find your representatives

Timeline & key dates

2007
Original regulation adoptedCalifornia adopts its original At-Berth Regulation to reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels while docked.
2020
Regulation updatedCARB adopts an updated regulation that expands requirements to additional vessel types, including auto carriers and tankers.
2023
Federal authorization grantedThe U.S. EPA grants California authorization under the federal Clean Air Act.
2025
Expanded compliance beginsAuto carriers and Southern California tankers reach full compliance. Northern California tankers have until 2027 to comply.
2026
Federal waivers targetedThe EPA transmits California’s At-Berth and Commercial Harbor Craft waivers, making the maritime sector an early target of the broader rollback effort.

Please note: The At-Berth Regulation includes implementation timelines, compliance extensions and technology-review provisions designed to account for market readiness and supply-chain availability. The regulation was developed through an extensive stakeholder process and is intended to address longstanding environmental inequities in communities located near major ports.

At its core, the policy ensures that the maritime industry takes responsibility for reducing pollution from ships — rather than leaving port-adjacent communities to bear the health costs of continued diesel emissions.

Learn more. Share the facts.

Want to learn more about California’s At-Berth Regulation and what’s at stake? Download our At-Berth Regulation fact sheet to learn how the policy works, why it matters for port communities, and what could happen if these protections are rolled back.

Download fact sheet

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