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A monthly newsletter from the Port of Long Beach

AROUND THE PORT . . .

Middle Harbor Environmental Report Goes Public
The Board of Harbor Commissioners has released a draft environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) for the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project, a proposed $750-million, 10-year project that would create about 14,000 new, permanent jobs and cut air pollution at two port terminals by 50 percent or more from existing levels. The report was released May 19 for 45 days of public review and comment. The Port will host two public hearings, June 11 and June 18, to receive comment on the EIR/EIS.

Read more: For more information, please see the Middle Harbor fact sheet, Q&A, PowerPoint.Visit our environmental documentspage for the full, downloadable EIR/EIS report. On video: Click here for a video presentation on the proposed project by Port Executive Director Richard D. Steinke.

New Fire Station Dedicated
Amid a full complement of bright-red firetrucks and a giant American flag, Long Beach's newest fire station -- the first in 22 years -- was dedicated and opened May 6 on Terminal Island in the Port of Long Beach by city officials and firefighters with a traditional ceremony and tours.

Bagpipes played and firefighters conducted the traditional ceremonial "push-in" of a firetruck into the firehouse bay, signifying the final effort to make Fire Station No. 24 operational. Built with $11 million from the Port of Long Beach, the station is located at 111 Pier S Avenue on Terminal Island and will provide the Long Beach Fire Department with an important base at the Port.

Read more: Click here to read a news release on the Fire Station No. 24 grand opening.

April Trade Figures Show Continued Slump
Imported containers remained sluggish in April, dropping by nearly 7.5 percent from the same month a year ago. Meanwhile, exported goods were up by 35 percent, continuing to an overall drop in container trade of about 4 percent.

Port terminals moved a total of 556, 585 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) in April, a decrease of 3.9 percent when compared to 579,235 TEUs in April 2007. Imported containers decreased by 7.5 percent to 280,553 TEUs (the slowest April for imports since 2005) while export containers increased by 35 percent to 163,557 TEUs. The movement of empty containers, most of which are sent overseas to be refilled with products, decreased by 27.4 percent to 112,455 TEUs.

The Port has seen double-digit increases in export container movement for 12 straight months, with nine months near or above 30 percent. Because more containers are heading overseas filled with exports, the number of empty containers moving across Port terminals is declining. So far in 2008, containerized trade is down 6.5 percent when compared to the same time period in 2007.

Read More: Click here for the April 2008 TEU figures, and here for the April 2008 tonnage summary report.

Port of Long Beach Named Best in North America
The Port of Long Beach once again has been named the best seaport in North America by Cargonews Asia at the newspaper's 2008 Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards held recently in Singapore. It is the fourth consecutive year and the 12th time in the past 13 years that the Port of Long Beach has been recognized as the best on the continent, despite strong competition from notables such as the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of New York/New Jersey.

Read More: Click here for a news release on the Port's recognition.

Two Terminals Get $5 million for Greener Cranes
The Port has awarded $5 million in grants to Total Terminals International and SSA Terminals to convert diesel-powered cargo cranes to electricity for substantial air pollution improvements. The Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday, May 19, approved two matching grants of $2.5 million each to help fund the electrification of 28 diesel-powered rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs), which will reduce air pollution by about 120 tons a year.

Read more: Click here for a news release on the grants.

CUT, Hyundai Donate $100,000 to Cabrillo High
California United Terminals, which operates a container facility at Pier F, and its partner shipping firm Hyundai Merchant Marine have donated $100,000 to Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo High School in Long Beach. The donation is the largest ever given to Cabrillo, a 13-year-old high school on the city's West side. The money will be used to purchase a scoreboard for the athletic field and for the school's Small Learning Communities and Cabrillo Academy of Business. At a presentation ceremony May 15, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and other officials praised CUT and Hyundai for their partnerships with the community. The Board of Harbor Commissioners will recognize CUT and Hyundai at its June 2 Board Meeting.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Port's Harbor Arbor Program Celebrates Trees More than 250 people attended a neighborhood celebration April 26 hosted by the Port of Long Beach to open the new 51st Street Greenbelt in north Long Beach. The event commemorated Earth and Arbor days with the planting of 27 sycamores and live oak trees beside the Los Angeles River. The Port also planted 20 trees at nearby Perry Lindsey Academy. The projects were part of the Port's Harbor Arbor tree planting program, which is beautifying neighborhoods, parks, schools and greenbelts along the Long Beach (710) Freeway transportation corridor. The April 26 festivities included educational displays on the environment and tree seedling giveaways for residents provided by Port customer Weyerhaeuser.

IF YOU MISSED IT.
Port Launches Clean Trucks Program Web Portal The October 1, 2008 launch of the Port of Long Beach clean trucks program is fast approaching. To provide a one-stop source of Clean Trucks Program information for truck drivers, Licensed motor Carriers and others in the trucking and transportation industries, the Port has launched a web portal with the latest news, information, phone numbers, frequently asked questions and useful web links.

Read more: Click here to access the clean trucks page.

end of May 08 Tie Lines