Officials announced $8 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to help to make navigational efficiency improvements to Port of Long Beach waterways.
The aim is to allow visiting ships to transit the harbor faster, reduce transportation costs and cut pollution.
With $8 million in direct funding to the Port of Long Beach, we continue our partnership with the federal government to address supply chain challenges
said Mayor Robert Garcia.
For his part Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, added that improving the ability of ships to navigate channels in the port will have economic benefits for the entire country.
“Locally, creating navigational efficiencies will move ships through the harbor faster, reducing air pollution.”
Furthermore, Long Beach Harbor Commission President Steven Neal, believes that investments made in the port have big benefits to the its operations, reduce emissions, and move goods faster to businesses across America.
We have a long-standing relationship with the Port of Long Beach and are pleased that this supplemental funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will assist the Port by keeping our federal waterways safe and navigable, and promoting economic stability for the region and our country
stated Col. Julie Balten, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.
Last October, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a Chief’s Report showing deepening and widening channels in the harbor would lead to air pollution reductions, improved vessel navigation and national economic benefits of almost $21 million each year.
Among other features, the recommended plan includes deepening the Approach Channel from 76 feet to 80 feet, constructing an approach channel to Pier J South to a depth of 55 feet, deepening portions of the West Basin from 50 feet to 55 feet, and performing structural improvements to breakwaters at Pier J to allow for depths of 55 feet.
Recently, the Port of Los Angeles decided to further extend the container dwell fee program until 29 April, despite the fact that it has not been implemented yet.
The container dwell fee program aims to reduce congestion at the Southern Californian ports of LA and Long Beach, and was approved on 29 October 2021. In fact, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission voted to extend the program through to 29 April this year.
However, with an improvement of the situation after the threat of the fee, it has yet to be implemented.
Since the announcement of the fee in October, import cargo lingering nine days or more has declined by 60% at the Port of Los Angeles
