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Port of San Diego Helps Tenant Go Green

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

The National City Marine Terminal has gotten more environmentally friendly. Two hybrid electric vehicles have been added to the fleet serving Pasha Automotive Services.

The Port of San Diego contributed $11,000 through its Environmental Fund for the Mazda Tribute vehicles which allow Pasha employees to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The hybrids will be used to conduct inventory control of the thousands of imported vehicles that are offloaded at the 125-acre site.

"It is the Pasha Group's commitment to the local community and the region to partner with the Port to responsibly grow our business to make this a healthy environment for our employees and neighbors," said John Pasha, Vice-president of Pasha Automotive Services.

Pasha has also purchased a fleet of 17 fifteen-passenger hybrid Chevrolet vans to transport longshoreworkers onto the ships, and 6 hybrid Chevrolet trucks used by workers servicing the imported vehicles and for security patrol. Employees also use two Segway personal transportation devices for rapid transit around the terminal.

"The Segways turn a two-hour walking job into a 45-minute assignment," said Dave Nagy, Pasha Automotive Services Manager of Labor, Safety and Training.

"Using these more fuel efficient vehicles is part of our effort to lead our industry in innovation and efficiencies," said Nagy.

The company imports and processes almost 400,000 vehicles annually, including Hondas, Volkswagens, Isuzus and Bentleys. After longshoreworkers drive the vehicles off the ship, Pasha employees check them in and perform all service necessary before the vehicles are loaded onto railcars or trucks for distribution throughout the U.S. Western Region.

Every year one-half of one percent of the Port's total earnings are set aside to help fund environmental stewardship, including programs that preserve and protect wildlife on the bay, maintain and improve water quality in the bay, and promote more efficient and environmentally sound operations at the maritime terminals.
Pasha began importing vehicles at the Port of San Diego in 1990 and has since processed more than three million vehicles through the National City Marine Terminal.

The Pasha Group, a diversified global transportation services and logistics company, has been involved in cargo handling/logistics and terminal operations for over 60 years and also operates port facilities in Los Angeles, California, and Baltimore, Maryland.