Terminal Island Maritime Support Facility: A New Container Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles

Abstract: The new 71-acre container terminal will be a significant part of a larger Port of Los Angeles terminal operations. This site will help alleviate container and chassis storage limitations that have caused supply chain issues in recent years. The new area will be designed to handle a substantial volume of containerized cargo, with advanced technology such as zero emission vehicles and infrastructure to facilitate efficient operations.
The project will develop a 71-acre technologically advanced terminal as part of a 200 -million dollar expansion project. This development will allow multiple operators to use the site to alleviate possible supply issues dealing with storage of containers or truck chassis.
The lease agreement for this development included revenue sharing on containers and phased-in rental payments over the course of the development. The terminal was designed to handle greater traffic from ultra-large container vessels and is in a prime position to become a destination for more big ships from Asia. This addition will help make the Port of Los Angeles stay competitive and increase revenue by utilizing this space.
This kind of terminal expansion is part of a broader effort to accommodate the increasing size and volume of container ships, and to prepare for future growth in global trade. This project will allow the Port of Los Angeles to continue to expand and remain the largest container port in the United States.
Some of the challenges faced is that this project does not currently have an operator and the site has the potential to have four operators working on site at any given moment. This will require significant collaboration with the Port of Los Angeles, design team, and prospective tenants in-order to create a site that can be used to its full potential.
Construction will not start in September 2025 but we have already learned about how to develop a new terminal. The new 71-acre container terminal is a substantial facility designed to handle large volumes of containerized cargo, with the infrastructure and technology to support efficient operations and future growth in global trade for the Port of Los Angeles.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: This project will help with storage of containers and truck chassis. This new backland area will create a new area for containers to go which will help prevent backlogs that were seen in 2021 and allow the Port of Los Angeles to expand its operations.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: Yes, this site will have charging stations for the vehicles on the site to charge up on. This site will only use electric vehicles to move the containers and truck chassis. The Port of Los Angeles is a firm believer of protecting the environment and reducing pollution in any way possible.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: The coordination with the grade separation will be the most challenging aspect of this project. This other project will end when our project begins making it crucial that we have great coordination and design team to get us through this. We decided to pick the same design consultant to help with the coordination to go smoothly and have less possible construction issues.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: Seaport engineers, environmental scientists, marine terminal operators, labor, and policy- and
decision-makers will benefit from an understanding of our project goals and lessons learned.
The presenter is an engineer and works in the Facility Planning and Design Group and has years of experience working in civil design.