About the Port

The Port of Los Angeles, Southern California's gateway to international commerce, is located in San Pedro Bay, just 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

This booming seaport not only sustains its competitive edge with record-setting cargo operations, but is also known for its groundbreaking environmental initiatives, progressive security measures and diverse recreational and educational facilities.

The Port of Los Angeles is a department of the City of Los Angeles and is often referred to as the Los Angeles Harbor Department. The Port is operated and managed under a State Tidelands Trust that grants local municipalities jurisdiction over ports and stipulates that activities must be related to commerce, navigation and fisheries. A five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council to provide direction and create policy for the Port.

As a proprietary and self-supporting department, the Port is not supported by taxes. Instead, revenue is derived from fees for shipping services such as dockage, wharfage, pilotage, storage, property rentals, royalties and other Port services. Considered a landlord port, the Port of Los Angeles leases it property to tenants who then, in turn, operate their own facilities.

The Port encompasses 7500 acres, 43 miles of waterfront and features 27 cargo terminals, including dry and liquid bulk, container, breakbulk, automobile and omni facilities. Combined, these terminals handle almost 190 million metric revenue tons of cargo annually. Last year, the Port moved an impressive 8.5 million TEUs, establishing a new national container record once again. The Port is also home to the nation's most secure cruise passenger complex, the World Cruise Center.