US maritime emissions capture and control company Stax Engineering has entered into an agreement with TransMontaigne Partners, a midstream energy company with terminal operations across the US.
Under the agreement, Stax will service vessels calling at TransMontaigne’s Martinez and Richmond facilities, ensuring compliance with the 1 Jan 2027 deadline for tanker vessels under the California Air Resources Board (CARB) At-Berth Regulation.
Through this partnership, Stax is expected to provide 4,000 service hours annually for vessels calling on the TransMontaigne terminals. With nearly 6m bbl of storage capacity at its Martinez and Richmond terminals, TransMontaigne plays a critical role in Northern California’s fuel supply chain, providing terminal, storage, and distribution services for refined petroleum and renewable fuel products.
Since launching in 2024, Stax’s signature green barges have become a presence across California ports, capturing emissions from vessels at berth. Today, Stax is said to have the largest fleet in the industry and the highest service hours among all providers. Through its broader Northern California operations, Stax expects to reduce emissions each year by 670t of NOx, 31t of reactive organic gases and 31t of particulate matter, helping tanker operators meet regulatory requirements while improving air quality in nearby communities.
Stax already services tankers in Southern California for partners such as Olympus, Shell, and MOL Chemical, giving operators a solution for at-berth compliance. As regulations for tankers expand statewide, terminal and vessel operators face growing pressure to implement emissions solutions that can be deployed safely and on time. Stax says it offers an immediate, cost-effective path to compliance—at a cost of less than 1c per gallon of gasoline—without requiring vessel retrofits or costly infrastructure upgrades. Built for the safety and operational requirements of tankers, Stax’s mobile emissions capture and control system is claimed to reduce at-berth emissions by up to 99% while allowing normal cargo operations to continue uninterrupted.
Mike Walker, Stax Engineering CEO, said: “Tanker operators need an emissions reduction solution that works in the real world—one that is safe, fast to deploy, cost-effective, and capable of delivering immediate air-quality benefits. We’re already supporting tanker customers across Southern California, and this agreement with TransMontaigne shows that industry leaders are preparing now for the 2027 CARB deadline and choosing a proven, practical path that reduces emissions without disrupting terminal operations.”
Image: TransMontaigne Partners terminal in California (source: Stax Engineering)
