SpaceX Lands in Long Beach

SpaceX is coming to the Port of Long Beach, said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia in a press release on April 26. Starting May 1, the aerospace company will occupy the port’s Pier T, which was formerly occupied by Sea Launch, which vacated it a year ago. Sea Launch occupied the property for 20 years, and before that, it was the site of a United States Navy Complex.

The Port of Long Beach Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved a two-year lease for the project on April 26. SpaceX will occupy about 6.5 acres, including 2.85 acres of land, 3.54 acres of submerged land.

Eamonn Killeen, director of real estate for the port, said that this deal took a lot of effort from his staff, including moving Sea Launch out, and getting the facility market ready.

“We worked closely with our engineering division as well as our maintenance division to address any deficiencies that needed to be brought up to par,” Killeen said at the April 26 meeting of the harbor commissioners.

Killeen said that SpaceX will be using the majority of a 90,000 square feet warehouse and some acreage adjacent to the pier. In addition, it will have full control of the pier for its recovery barges. It can also berth ships, boats and other watercraft.

SpaceX will pay $107,000 per month, but this will be subject to annual consumer price index adjustments. The two-year lease can be terminated with 90-days written notice by SpaceX. Killeen said the port would be open to extending the lease.

SpaceX will be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the property including the buildings and any improvements. However, the port will maintain the primary wharf structure of the pier. Any improvements will be done on SpaceX’s dime, but only with the port’s approval.

SpaceX will be required to apply to federal, state and local environmental standards. Because of this, it will need to use tugs with the cleanest available engines, and any off-road equipment that it purchases must meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 final engine standards.

Frank Colonna, board president of the commissioners, praised SpaceX for sending astronauts to the International Space Station in one of its capsules just a few days prior to the meeting.

“What an extraordinary situation compared to how it was a number of years ago,” Colonna said. “This is now private enterprise that’s working in conjunction with government and NASA to deliver this type of technology and transportation.”

Alex Chairin, a representative of Curtin Maritime, a local business that operates in the port, expressed support for the project, as well as some concerns. He said that Curtin Maritime has been working with port staff for the past year to try to find a permanent location within the port’s boundaries.

“Unfortunately, this property … was a prime location for the relocation of Curtin Maritime,” Chairin said. “While we understand the desire of the commission staff is to go with SpaceX, we would respectfully request that in order to prevent the displacement of Curtin Maritime and their relocation to Northern California, that as part of the motion today, if you could convince staff to continue to work with Curtin Maritime to find a location that will allow them to continue to service the port and its tenants.”

Colonna said it was unnecessary to add what Chairin requested to the motion but said that the commissioners will ask port staff to continue to work with Curtin Maritime.

Mario Cordero, executive director of the port, said there were several entities interested in that property, including Curtin Maritime.

“This is not a situation where they’re being displaced, at least from that area,” Cordero said. “We’ll continue to have our discussions with our parties that are interested in being present in the Port of Long Beach.”