California Construction News staff writer
The Port of Los Angeles is moving forward with a slate of major infrastructure projects as it prepares for future cargo and cruise growth, Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said Thursday at the 11th annual State of the Port event.
Seroka announced that the Port handled 10.2 million container units in 2025, the third time in its 118-year history to exceed 10 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), and credited the achievement to collaboration across the Port community.
Looking ahead, the Port’s “Build Bigger and Build Smarter” framework will guide investment in terminals, technology, and sustainability. Central to the “Build Bigger” plan is the proposed Pier 500 Marine Container Terminal, which would be the first new container terminal developed at the Port in a generation. The Port issued a Request for Proposals in October to evaluate interest and feasibility of the expansion, which Seroka said is designed to be “the greenest, cleanest terminal in the world.”
Other infrastructure priorities include the Maritime Support Facility on Terminal Island for chassis parking and container handling, an expansion at Fenix Marine Services Terminal on Pier 300, and wharf and rail upgrades at LA TiL Container Terminal in the West Basin.
The Port is also expanding its cruise business. Pacific Cruise Terminals, a joint venture of Carrix, Inc. and JLC Infrastructure, has been selected to develop a new cruise center in the Outer Harbor. The facility is expected to strengthen Los Angeles as the West Coast’s primary cruise gateway.
Seroka highlighted ongoing technology investments, including the Port Optimizer™, Signal, and Universal Truck Appointment System, which improve cargo flow and coordination. An $8 million California GO-Biz grant will extend the truck appointment system to neighboring Long Beach terminals and enhance statewide data sharing.
Construction and development projects are also underway along the LA Waterfront. West Harbor, a retail and dining center, is set to open this summer, while the Avalon Pedestrian Bridge connecting Wilmington to the Waterfront Promenade will break ground in February. The Port is preparing to host sailing events for the 2028 Olympics.
Seroka also emphasized environmental progress, noting that the Port achieved record-low emissions per TEU and will expand zero-emission infrastructure with a $412 million EPA Clean Ports grant, supported by $230 million in non-federal funding.
“Pier 500, the cruise center, the Waterfront projects, and the zero-emissions initiatives—all these investments are critical to keeping Los Angeles ready for the opportunities of tomorrow,” Seroka said.
