Port Briefs: POLB Awarded Funds and See Cargo Volumes Rise in April

Port of Long Beach Awarded Funds for Critical Projects

The Port of Long Beach received federal funding for civil works plans laid out by the Army Corps of Engineers, aimed at financing several maintenance and repair projects along the waterfront.

The funds arise from the Harbor Maintenance Tax – collected by the federal government from ports based on the value of imports, some domestic cargo and on cruise passengers. Established by Congress in 1986 to fund dredging projects at U.S. seaports, funds from the Harbor Maintenance Tax were typically collected from but not directed to ports like the Port of Long Beach. The Water Resources Development Act of 2020, however, expanded the use of funds to include in-water maintenance and repair projects, allowing for a more equitable distribution among large and small seaports.

Combined, the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles will receive $112 million as part of the Army Corps of Engineers work plan.

“We have long pushed for a fair share of Harbor Maintenance Tax funding to ports like ours, which traditionally have contributed more to the fund than they received,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “We thank Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Grace Napolitano and our other congressional leaders for securing the funds for critical repair, retrofit and replacement projects that will strengthen our ability to move cargo safely and sustainably, and our partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for including funds in their 2024 work plan.”

The port is planning to spend $2.3 billion over the next 10 years in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability. Although the bulk of the funding is designated for rail projects, the port has identified specific needs for seismic upgrades in addition to the maintenance and repair of existing rock dikes, concrete and steel bulkheads, wharves and other marine structures.

Port of Long Beach Cargo Volumes Climb in April

LONG BEACH — Trade moving through the Port of Long Beach gained momentum in April, marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year cargo growth at the port.

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 750,424 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, up 14.4% from April 2023. Imports rose 16.3% to 364,665 TEUs and exports declined 19.9% to 98,266 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the port increased 30.7% to 287,493 TEUs.

The Port has moved 2,753,244 TEUs through the first four months of 2024, up 15.8% from the same period in 2023.