Shipping Vessels Brave Navy Weapon Range to Avoid CA Fuel Regulations

In an effort to avoid Californian fuel regulations, shipping vessels bound for the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach are taking a new route that involves cutting across a heavily used navy weapons testing range. This risky maneuver has been adopted by a growing number of commercial vessels visiting the port of Los Angeles since the "clean fuel standard" was adopted by the California Air Resources Board.

CARB estimates that the new standard adds about $30,000 in fuel costs to all commercial arrivals in California ports, though shipping companies say that procuring and managing the fuel adds to its already increased price. The new fuel also creates more wear and tear on engine components than the traditional fuel it is replacing.

To avoid this, more than half of the ships entering the port of Los Angeles are taking an alternate route through the Navy's Point Mugu Sea Range. Hundreds of tests and live exercises are performed in this ocean expanse each year; some have been delayed due to commercial traffic through this waterway. “If we have to cancel an event, a squadron may have to deploy into a war zone without the needed training,” said the Navy's Tony Parisi to The New York Times.

The California Air Resources Board was notified of the likelihood of commercial vessels using the Navy proving ground to avoid the proposed fuel regulations. CARB decided to proceed anyway, then believing that shippers would rather pay for the specialty fuel than risk traversing the live testing range.