Port of Long Beach Expansion in High Gear

Expansions and upgrades to the Port of Long Beach, the second-largest in the country, are in full force. The port is halfway through a 10-year, $5.4-billion effort that will increase its capacity and have it use sustainable power, among other improvements.

Right now a replacement of the Gerald Desmond Bridge is underway to support larger vessels and mega-ships. A new 304-acre Middle Harbor terminal to open later this year, will boost the port’s capacity by 20 percent by 2019.

Outgoing cargo will also be shifted in many cases from trains that cause less pollution than trucks.

It is hoped that the efforts will reduce the recent gridlock at the port, which caused it to lose business to facilities in other cities and countries.