The Port of Los Angeles won a 2026 International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) Sustainability Award on Nov. 5 for its Carbon Intensity Gateway. The digital platform pulls emissions data from across port operations into one system. The port received the award in the digitalization category at the IAPH World Ports conference in London.
What the Carbon Intensity Gateway does
The Carbon Intensity Gateway is a tool the port uses to track its emissions and look for ways to cut them. Before a system like this, data can sit in separate reports. Now the port gathers it in one place, so staff can analyze it more easily. The port says it uses the results to evaluate emissions, find chances to improve, and shape future environmental planning.
The port’s release does not explain the technical design, and it gives no performance figures for the platform itself. So the award shows recognition for the approach, not a measured drop in emissions from the tool.
The port’s Environmental Management Division developed the platform with technology partners Wabtec and San Diego State University. The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) helped fund it.
How the award competition worked
The IAPH competition drew 66 eligible submissions. Judges named 18 finalists across six categories. Sheeba Varughese, the port’s chief information officer, accepted the award. In the port’s words, she said the gateway helps turn complex emissions data into useful information.
Executive Director Gene Seroka said the award recognizes the port’s commitment to innovation and technology. He added that the gateway gives the port another useful tool for understanding its environmental footprint.
Why the emissions numbers matter
The port also reported its latest yearly emissions inventory on Oct. 22. That inventory covers 2025, when the port handled about 10.2 million container units. It showed the lowest emissions per container on record. We covered the details in our report on the port’s lowest emissions per container.
Compared with 2024, diesel particulate matter fell 2%, nitrogen oxides fell 4%, sulfur oxides fell 5%, and greenhouse gases fell 3%. Since 2005, diesel particulate matter is down 90% and nitrogen oxides are down 72%, while container volume rose 37%. Greenhouse gases fell by a smaller 16% over the same period.
That gap is why better data matters. Greenhouse gas cuts lag the other pollutants, so a platform that shows where emissions come from could help the port pick its next targets. However, the port has not said how it will use the gateway to do that.
What it means for LA residents and shippers
Communities near the harbor, including San Pedro and Wilmington, live closest to port emissions. Public data on those emissions helps residents and researchers follow progress. Shippers and terminal operators also face sustainability expectations from customers, so clear numbers help them too.
Next, watch for the port’s next annual inventory and any public details about how the gateway feeds into its plans. For more on regional business and the port, see our money and business guide. The port also lists its announcements on its award news release and its emissions inventory release.