Port Briefs: POLB Welcomes Sister Ports and Hosts Trucker One-Stop Shop Registration

Long Beach Welcomes Mexican Sister Ports

LONG BEACH — In recognition of the importance of international trade and the supply chain that links markets in Southern California and Mexico, the ports of Long Beach, Mazatlán and Topolobampo have established a formal relationship as sister ports. The partnership is a framework for the ports to share mutually beneficial information and best practices in the areas of marketing, security, sustainability, technology and city-port relations.

Signed Sept. 5 during a ceremony in Long Beach, the agreement also calls for the parties to cooperate on decarbonization initiatives, including establishing a supply chain for deploying hydrogen in port-related uses and supplying electricity to ships.

The partnership comes on the heels of a June trade mission to Mexico during which port officials and government and economic leaders discussed common interests, including the trend toward nearshoring — a business strategy in which companies move all or part of their production closer to the final consumer — and opportunities to collaborate that benefit all three gateways. The ports of Mazatlán and Topolobampo are located in Sinaloa, Mexico. The partnership has been established under a five-year memorandum of understanding with the option to extend the term.

Trucker One-Stop Shop for Port Registration Oct. 17-18: 

LONG BEACH — The Port of Long Beach will host a one-stop shop Oct. 17-18 for truckers to obtain the IDs and permits needed to access marine terminals in the San Pedro Bay ports complex. Truckers can register their rigs for required radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags, sign up for the port’s Truck Alert notification system’s real-time traffic updates, and get information from representatives of the California Air Resources Board about a new state regulation requiring all new drayage trucks entering port service after Jan. 1, 2024, to be zero-emissions vehicles. To obtain a federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential or TWIC, truckers should pre-enroll and book an appointment for one of the days ahead of the event at the link below. 

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 17, 18

Details: universalenroll.dhs.gov/programs/twic 

Venue:  Port of Long Beach Terminal Access Center,1265 Harbor Ave., Long Beach