ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. Settlement
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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., through its agent, ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services Co. LLC, Settles For $12,500,000
In October 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM), through its agent, ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services Co. LLC (ZIM USA), with its principal location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for ZIM’s violations of CARB’s Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Auxiliary Diesel Engines Operated On Ocean‑Going Vessels At Berth in a California Port (At Berth Regulation), as codified in the California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 93118.3.
An investigation conducted by CARB staff showed that ZIM failed to achieve the baseline power reduction requirements and the operational time limit requirements as specified in the At Berth Regulation, to reduce diesel PM and criteria pollutant emissions from ocean going vessels. To settle the case, ZIM agreed to a total settlement of $12,500,000 including civil and mitigation penalties.
Of the $12,500,000 settlement total, the civil penalty amount is $1,809,600, with an average of $752, $827, and $949 per unit penalties for calendar year violations in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively.
Of the $1,809,600 civil penalty, the amount of $904,800 will be paid to CARB, and the amount of $904,800 will fund the Supplemental Environment Project (SEP) entitled My Free Tree Project: Promoting Cleaner Air in AB 617 Areas through Strategic Urban Greening Partnerships. This SEP is designed to plant trees directly into residential areas, parks, school yards, and roadside properties through a comprehensive outreach effort. In addition, this SEP will purchase zero-emission equipment, employ five new staff members, and provide a new workable space for daily operations.
Terms of the settlement also require ZIM to fund a mitigation project in the amount of $10,690,400 to mitigate excess emissions caused by the violations. ZIM is required to comply with all other CARB regulations going forward. ZIM fully cooperated with CARB to resolve this matter.