Ports Positioned for a Modest Growth

LOS ANGELES—Supply chain and industrial experts gathered for the Pulse of the Ports conference in Long Beach. The Port of Long Beach CEO Duane Kenagy opened the annual event with an overview of the initiatives and improvements the port is making to ensure future growth. Following an anemic 2016 and with many changes expected this year, Kenagy expects the port to see modest growth this year.

“We do have challenges,” Kenagy said at the event. “We have the consolidation that is going on in the industry and the change in alliances that begin this weekend, as well as the effects of the Panama Canal. We are working with our partners to address these challenges and we are quite optimistic about the future of the port. We believe that we will see modest growth this year at the port.”

The Port of Long Beach has a number of infrastructure and environmental improvements planned that are meant to make the ports internationally competitive and fuel future growth. “We have certainly had a lot of challenges over the past year, but there were a lot of accomplishments as well, so there is a lot to celebrate, particularly in the area of infrastructure,” said Kenagy.

The Gerald Desmond Bridge project is among the largest of the infrastructure improvement efforts. This year, the towers will top out, becoming the tallest point in Long Beach, and the first lanes will open in 2018. “That will be an iconic change to the landscape,” said Kenagy, adding that environmental responsibility is also a chief concern.

The middle harbor terminal project is helping to reduce the port's environmental impacts. Last year, operations began at the new middle harbor terminal, and phase II is now under construction. “We have proposed an on dock rail support facility,” he says. “Right now, 25% of our cargo is handled with on dock rail, and we would like to increase that to 50%. This infrastructure is vital to accomplishing that goal. We are committed to cleaning the environment and aiding local communities.”

LOS ANGELES—Supply chain and industrial experts gathered for the Pulse of the Ports conference in Long Beach. The Port of Long Beach CEO Duane Kenagy opened the annual event with an overview of the initiatives and improvements the port is making to ensure future growth. Following an anemic 2016 and with many changes expected this year, Kenagy expects the port to see modest growth this year.

“We do have challenges,” Kenagy said at the event. “We have the consolidation that is going on in the industry and the change in alliances that begin this weekend, as well as the effects of the Panama Canal. We are working with our partners to address these challenges and we are quite optimistic about the future of the port. We believe that we will see modest growth this year at the port.”

The Port of Long Beach has a number of infrastructure and environmental improvements planned that are meant to make the ports internationally competitive and fuel future growth. “We have certainly had a lot of challenges over the past year, but there were a lot of accomplishments as well, so there is a lot to celebrate, particularly in the area of infrastructure,” said Kenagy.

The Gerald Desmond Bridge project is among the largest of the infrastructure improvement efforts. This year, the towers will top out, becoming the tallest point in Long Beach, and the first lanes will open in 2018. “That will be an iconic change to the landscape,” said Kenagy, adding that environmental responsibility is also a chief concern.

The middle harbor terminal project is helping to reduce the port's environmental impacts. Last year, operations began at the new middle harbor terminal, and phase II is now under construction. “We have proposed an on dock rail support facility,” he says. “Right now, 25% of our cargo is handled with on dock rail, and we would like to increase that to 50%. This infrastructure is vital to accomplishing that goal. We are committed to cleaning the environment and aiding local communities.”