Los Angeles Business Services Exemplified in Port International Trade

The Port of Los Angeles, SoCal's gateway to international imports and exports, is situated just 20 miles from the city center. The burgeoning port not only maintains its competitive edge with innovative cargo operations, but is renowned for its groundbreaking environmental initiatives, well-known security measures and diverse recreational and educational facilities. Also known as the Los Angeles Harbor Department, Port Los Angeles occupies more than 7,500 acres land and water along 42 miles of waterfront.

The south-facing San Pedro Bay was originally a shallow mudflat, not solid enough to support a wharf. Arriving ships had two options, remaining out at anchor and have their cargo ferried to shore; or beach themselves. Phineas Banning greatly improved shipping when he dredged the channel in 1871 to a depth of 10 feet. The port handled greater than 55,000 tons of shipping that year.

After Banning's passing in 1885 his sons continued his interests in marketing the port, which handled 500,000 tons of shipping in that year. The Southern Pacific Railroad desired to create Port Los Angeles at Santa Monica, and constructed the Long Wharf at that location in 1893. L.A. Times administrator Harrison Otis and Senator Stephen White insisted on federal support of the structure to be built at San Pedro Bay. The issue was resolved when San Pedro was certified in 1897 by a government commission. With government support construction started in 1899 and the area was annexed to Los Angeles in 1909. The Harbor Commission was established in 1907.

In 1911, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its first significant wharf at the port. In the 1920s, the port passed San Francisco as the region's busiest port. In WWII the port was primarily used for building ships, employing more than 90,000 workers. The opening of the Thomas Bridge in 1963 significantly facilitated access to Terminal Island and allowed for increased traffic and further expansion.

Currently the port is the busiest in the United States when measured by container volume, the 8th busiest in the world, and the 5th busiest internationally when combined with the nearby Long Beach Port.

This year, the top 5 imported materials were furniture, apparel, auto parts, toys, and computers. The top 5 exported goods were soybeans, paper, cotton, animal feed and metal scraps.