Home >Los Angeles Business Services Exemplified in Port International Trade

The Port of Los Angeles, SoCal's gateway to international imports and exports, is located just 20 miles from the city center. This booming seaport not only maintains its competitive edge with record-setting cargo operations, but is also known for its inventive environmental initiatives, well-known security measures and many 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 port site was initially a shallow flat area, not solid enough to support a wharf. Arriving ships had two choices, stay far out at anchor and have their goods and passengers ferried to shore; or beach themselves. Phineas Banning greatly improved docking convenience when he dredged the channel in 1871 to a depth of 10 feet. The port handled more than 55,000 tons of shipping that year.

After Banning's death in 1885 his sons continued his interests in marketing the port, which handled 500,000 tons of shipping that year. The Southern Pacific Railroad desired to build the Los Angeles Port at Santa Monica, and built the Long Wharf there in 1893. Los Angeles Times administrator Harrison Otis and Senator Stephen White insisted on federal support of the Port of Los Angeles at San Pedro Bay. The matter was settled when San Pedro was certified in 1897 by a federal commission. With federal support construction started in 1899 and the spot was absorbed into Los Angeles in 1909. The Harbor Commission was established in 1907.

In 1911, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its first major wharf at the port. During the 1920s, the port passed San Francisco as the region's busiest seaport. During WWII it was mostly used for shipbuilding, employing more than 90,000 people. The opening of the Thomas Bridge in 1963 significantly improved access to Terminal Island and allowed for more traffic and further expansion.

Presently the port is the most busy in the United States when measured by container volume, the 8th busiest in the world, and the 5th busiest internationally when combined with the neighboring Port of Long Beach.

In 2007, the top 5 imported materials were furniture, apparel, motorcar parts, toys, and computers. The top 5 exported goods were soybeans, paper, cotton, animal feed and metal scraps.