The Propane Education & Research Council to Highlight Affordable Port Operations Solutions at AAPA Convention
Propane helps lower costs and keeps supply chain operations continuous while eliminating interconnection delays
RICHMOND, Va. (September 24, 2026) — For ports, the cost of waiting to electrify is colliding with the rising cost of diesel. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the national average diesel price hit a record $5.30 per gallon in August, underscoring the economic risk of relying solely on volatile fuel sources. Operators need to rethink their power to find a solution they can deploy now — one that also acts as an economic hedge against climbing fuel prices.
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) will be on-site at the AAPA Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., Sept. 28-30 to highlight how port operators can lower costs today while supporting equipment modernization.
Propane offers an immediate, affordable way to keep supply chains moving:
- Lower Operational Costs: For heavy port equipment, switching from diesel to propane yard tractors can mean 25 percent lower fuel costs (operating at $6.17 per hour with propane versus $8.14 with diesel).
- Lower Upfront Cost: The cost of a propane-fueled forklift is about 30 percent lower than that of an electric-powered forklift, excluding the cost of installing battery-charging infrastructure. Compared to diesel, switching to propane means avoiding the strict Tier-4 emissions requirements that add thousands of dollars to the purchase price of new equipment.
- Eliminating Maintenance Costs: Because propane is cleaner at the point of combustion than gasoline or diesel, it places less stress on equipment and engines, meaning fewer oil changes, a longer working life, and no heavy soot associated with diesel engines.
“Ports are under increasing pressure to move record amounts of cargo while managing rising fuel costs,” said Jim Bunsey, Senior Manager of Business Development at PERC. “Renewable propane offers a low-carbon, cost-efficient energy solution ports can rely on today, delivering proven performance and reliable uptime that lowers the total cost of ownership without dependence on the grid.”
Bunsey will be available throughout AAPA at Booth 206 to discuss propane’s pricing advantage, immediacy and support in advancing modernization and automation of supply chain operations. Attendees are encouraged to visit the booth to learn more about how propane can help ports reduce operating costs and power equipment reliably while meeting decarbonization mandates.
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About PERC: The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit that provides leading propane safety and training programs and invests in research and development of new propane-powered technologies. PERC is operated and funded by the propane industry. For more information, visit Propane.com.
