International Cargo Seaport: Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach, known as the Harbor Department of the City of Long Beach, is the third-largest in Southern California and the second-largest port in Los Angeles. This port has also become the second busiest port in the United States and one of the largest shipping ports in the world. In addition, Port of Long Beach has a significant role in the world’s oil industry, including supporting the refining sector, such as automotive parts, aircraft, electronic equipment, petrochemicals, audio-visual equipment, precision metals, and home furnishings.

About Port of Long Beach

It is directly adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles. This port is the main gateway for trade between the United States and countries in Asia. The location is about 25 miles by the sea in Long Beach, California, covering an area of approximately 3,200 acres.

Also, the Port of Long Beach is about 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles or less than 2 miles southwest of downtown Long Beach. Meanwhile, about the geographic location is at 33 ° 47 ‘North and 118 ° 10’ West.

The History

The Port was founded on June 24, 1911, on 800 acres of a mud flat. Then, in 1917, the first Board of Port Commissioners was formed to oversee port operations. As the economy boomed, Long Beach voters approved a $5 million bond to repair the inner and outer ports in 1924.

In 1925, the old city wharf was rebuilt by starting the construction of Pier A and Pier B. Then, in 1926, the Port of Long Beach handled more than 1 million cargoes. They build a more additional dock to develop the business in the following years. The Port of Long Beach was designated “America’s most modern port” in 1946.

Volume of Transaction in Port of Long Beach

As the second busiest port in the United States, the Port of Long Beach set a new record in 2021 with a volume of 9.38 million TEU. Meanwhile, empty containers passing through the port are about 3,364,606 TEU, which rose 27.5% compared to the previous year.

It is said that the Port of Long Beach can handle about 8.1 million TEU per year. In the trade sector, this port generates around $170 billion annually. In addition, the existence of this port has employed at least more than 575,000 people in Southern California and supports 2.6 million jobs across the nation.

Interesting Facts

The area we now know as Long Beach was part of a massive land grant from Spain to Manuel Nieto’s army in 1784. The land areas that became the grant included 28,000 hectares of Ranch Los Alamitos and 27,000 hectares of Rancho Los Cerritos.

In 1921, oil was discovered at Signal Hill, and Long Beach thrives to this day. The Port of Long Beach currently serves 175 cruise lines with connections to 217 ports worldwide. This port is still undergoing development, with a mission to create the most modern, efficient, and sustainable port globally. Thus, the Port will be able to accommodate more large ships and give more job opportunities in the future.