Deepening project at Long Beach gets approval
The Long Beach Harbor Commission has approved a critical channel deepening project that is expected to ease cargo movement to and from the United States. The Port of Long Beach (POLB) and the federal government will share the costs, estimated at almost US$170 million, with the POLB's portion being estimated at US$109 million.
“By improving navigation in Long Beach Harbor, goods will speed faster around the supply chain, yielding enormous economic benefits for our city, region, and the nation,” said Harbor Commission president, Sharon L. Weissman, adding that “At the same time, it will make operations safer and help lessen environmental impacts on our community.”
Among other features, the project includes deepening the Long Beach Approach Channel from 76 feet to 80 feet deep, easing turning bends in the Main Channel to deepen a wider area to 76 feet, deepening parts of the West Basin from 50 to 55 feet, constructing an approach channel and turning basin to Pier J South with a depth of 55 feet, improving the breakwaters at the entrance to Pier J, and depositing dredged material in nearshore sites for refuse or in federally approved ocean disposal sites.
“Deepening and improving our waterways will give these vessels more room to maneuver, and to do so more efficiently by taking on more containers, reducing the number of ship calls and associated emissions,” commented Port of Long Beach executive director, Mario Cordero.
Last October, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded a multi-year federal study that showed deepening and widening channels in the harbor would lead to improved vessel navigation, safety, and national economic benefits of almost US$21 million annually.
Source: Container News
Related News
12/03
2026
Amid the sharp rise in global fuel prices since early March 2026, driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Near and Middle East, bunker costs across the ocean shipping industry have increased significantly on most trade lanes.
02/03
2026
Tensions at the Hormuz have moved beyond geopolitical risk and are now directly impacting international maritime operations. As one of the world’s most critical shipping chokepoints—handling nearly 20% of global oil flows and a significant share of container traffic to and from the Middle East—any disruption in this area can quickly trigger ripple effects across global supply chains.
02/03
2026
Escalating military tensions between Iran and Israel are causing severe disruptions to aviation operations across the Middle East. Several countries have been forced to close or restrict their airspace for security reasons, prompting airlines to suspend services, reroute flights, and cancel large numbers of departures.