Port Enters ‘New Era’ of Efficiency

The Port of Long Beach is ushering in a new era of efficiency. At the recent Pulse of the Ports conference, Anthony Otto, president of the Long Beach Container Terminal, Marine Terminal Operator, highlighted the progress at the Middle Harbor Terminal, which will become the most efficient and cleanest terminal on the planet. The project is built out in three phases and the first two phases have already delivered. The final phase will be complete in 2021.

“We are building a new model that uses the best design and the best technologies to improve the level of service to the supply chain and restore confidence in Southern California as the preferred gateway of choice into the United States,” Otto said at the conference. “That is important if you consider that one out of every nine jobs is one way or another associated with the freight.”

The impetus for the redesign was a combination of evolving with new technology as well as reliving some challenges, including congestion, labor shortages and accommodating larger ships. The new terminal will accommodate ships with a capacity to move 22,000 TEUs. Additionally, there was a growing need for zero emissions and a faster and more efficient year. “This is something that we are going to have to deal with in a system that is better equipped,” explains Otto. “A more efficient model was needed to disprove the perception or the reality that for Southern California ports were unable to evolve with technology. So, the Middle Harbor redevelopment project was born.”