Port News: POLB and Utah Inland Port Authority Collaborate and POLA Adopts FY Budget

Port Forges Pact with Utah Inland Port Authority

The Port of Long Beach and the Utah Inland Port Authority have agreed to collaborate in the development of cleaner, more cost-effective and innovative strategies aimed at moving goods quickly, safely and efficiently between Long Beach and Utah.

The four-year, nonbinding pact is aimed at improving import and export cargo flows between the nation’s second-busiest seaport and Utah’s logistics network.

Under the agreement, the Port of Long Beach and Utah will collaborate on business opportunities and share information as they undertake major projects expected to improve the speed and efficiency of cargo shipments between Southern California and Utah. The Port of Long Beach plans to invest $1 billion in rail improvements over the next 10 years to ease the flow of cargo moving through its complex. In turn, the Utah Inland Port Authority will strengthen its ability to transfer imports and exports to more efficient modes of transportation for further supply chain distribution.

Additionally, the Port of Long Beach and the Utah Inland Port Authority will collaborate and share data on efforts to improve air quality and energy efficiency by deploying alternative-fuel vehicles and other clean-air technologies.

The agreement also calls for joint marketing to shared trade industry partners, studying how to resolve existing supply chain issues, and expanding export opportunities for Utah and surrounding states.

POLA Adopts $1.7 Billion Fiscal Year 2021/22 Budget

SAN PEDRO —  The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a $1.7 billion Fiscal Year 2021-22 annual budget for the Port of Los Angeles. The approval comes on the heels of record cargo volumes during fiscal year 2020-21.

The approved budget forecasts cargo volumes for fiscal year 2021-22 of 9.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, a 6.7% or 0.7 million TEU decrease over the previous year’s forecast. Accompanying operating revenues are projected to come in at $533.3 million, a decrease of $11.7 million or 2.2 % over fiscal year 2020-21. 

Fiscal year 2021-22 proposed operating expenses are $300.1 million, which represent a 5.3% increase compared to fiscal year 2020-21. Major drivers of this year’s 5.3% increase in operating expenses include programs put into place in 2021 to improve the efficiency and fluidity of cargo through the port. These include the full-year funding of the port’s truck turn-time and dual-transaction incentive programs and expected increases in the number of shipping lines qualifying for the port’s ocean common carrier incentive program, among others. 

The fiscal year 2021-22 budget includes a capital improvement budget of $188.7 million — an increase of 42.5% over the previous year. 

Signature capital improvement projects include $46.6 million for Wilmington Waterfront projects; $32.3 million for repairs and upgrades at liquid bulk terminals in compliance with Marine Oil Terminals Maintenance Standards; $15.1 million for improvements and repairs to Harbor Department facilities and computer software system upgrades; $13.6 million for the Alameda Corridor Southern Terminus Gap Closure project; $13.0 million for Everport Container Terminal Improvements; $9.2 million for the San Pedro Waterfront projects; and $7.4 million for various environmental programs.