Our program Friday was presented by Marcel Van Dijk, Business Development Manager for the Port of Los Angeles. We learned that no tax dollars are used to operate the port. In fact the port generates tax revenue of about $6 Billion! Also 1 in 8 jobs in Los Angeles is involved directly or indirectly with the port. The impact of the port is staggering on the Los Angeles region.

The port is governed by a Port District, not the city or county. The port district is an independent, self-supporting department of the government of the City of Los Angeles. The Port is under the control of a five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, and is administered by an executive director.

Ports are measured by the volume of cargo, (goods mostly shipped in containers) that pass through the port. This includes inbound and outbound. Containers are measured by TEU or twenty-foot equivalent units.  The volume was 7.9 million TEU’s in calendar year 2011. The Port is the busiest port in the United States by container volume, the 16th busiest container port in the world and the 6th busiest internationally when combined with the neighboring Port of Long Beach. The port is also the number one freight gateway in the United States when ranked by the value of shipments passing through it. For the second consecutive year, the Port of Los Angeles experienced record-breaking exports as outbound container volumes surged in 2011 and 2010. The top trading partners in 2010 were

1. China ($120.7 billion)
2. Japan ($35.3 billion)
3. Taiwan ($10.7 billion)
4. South Korea ($10.1 billion)
5. Thailand ($7.2 billion)

Los Angeles is the largest U. S. Customs District in the United States. Customs is responsible for inspecting the cargo arriving and departing from the port. Security is a concern and the Port of LA is considered worldwide to be a model port for security.

The port has a mandate to clean up the pollution generated by ships, trains and trucks and we heard that with the exception of nitrogen oxides they are on target with goals for air quality.

The port is constantly moving toward automation and operational efficiency, they are currently investing $400 million in capital improvements.

If you are looking for a job, Marcel reported that a dock worker makes in the neighborhood of $200,000 annually!