Los Angeles (Long Beach-San Pedro, California)

Los Angeles cruise port serves in California's largest city (population around 4 million, density ~8100 per mi2 / ~3100 km2). LA is the USA's second-largest city - after NYC New York (population over 8,6 million, density ~27000 per mi2 / 10400 km2).

The City of Los Angeles is in the Southern Californian basin (Pacific Ocean) and is most famous for being the world's entertainment industry center. As cruise port, LA handles ~1000 ship calls annually. Popular itineraries visit the Hawaiian islands, the Mexican Riviera, some even Alaska. LA's cruise port schedule includes roundtrips to Mexico (Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Ensenada), Hawaiian and California Coastal ports, as well as one-ways to Vancouver Canada (on repositioning itineraries to Alaska) and ports in Florida (on Panama Canal transition itineraries).

Homeporting in LA was introduced by P&O Princess Cruises in 1965. Each visiting LA cruise liner generates USD 1+ million in economic activities. Due to the COVID crisis, LA's cruising operations were paused between March 15, 2020, and September 25, 2021.

Note: CruiseMapper's Los Angeles cruise ship schedule includes/combines also the schedules of Port Los Angeles (locode USLAX), Port Long Beach (USLGB) as well as San Pedro. The distance between LA and Long Beach is 24 mi/40 km (via highway I-710). The distance between LA and San Pedro is the same (via highway I-110-N). Travel/drive time is approx 30 min.

Port Los Angeles

Port Los Angeles is a large seaport complex covering a land area of 30,35 km2 (11,72 mi2) with around 69 km (43 mi) long waterfront. LA port adjoins the separate Port Long Beach. Port's main imports are furniture, auto parts, footwear-apparel, electronics. Main exports are wastepaper, scrap metal, cotton, animal feed. The largest cargo shipping volumes come from East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam).

LA port district is an independent department of the city's government. It is controlled by Board of Harbor Commissioners consisting of 5 members and 1 executive director. They are all appointed by the city mayor and approved by the city council. All vessels are assisted by professional harbor pilots. Port's safety is guaranteed by dedicated Port Police, LA Fire Department (fire-EMS services), USCG (waterway security), Homeland Security (federal land) and LA County Lifeguards (open waters outside the harbor).

Port Los Angeles is located in San Pedro Bay, in LA's neighborhoods San Pedro and Wilmington. The seaport is approx 32 km (20 mi) south of downtown LA. It employs 896,000+ people (throughout LA) and 3,6+ million worldwide. The worth of seaport's annually shipped cargoes is ~USD 1,2 billion. Cargo volumes represent ~43% of the USA's total imported cargoes, ranking LA as USA's largest container port and the world's 16th largest (9th when combined with Long Beach).

Channel depth (53 ft / 16 m) allows access to the world's largest container ships, tankers and bulk cargo carriers. The port has a total of 23 cargo terminals (270 deepwater berths), 9 container terminals (with 77 gantry cranes) and on-site railway system (total length 182 km / 113 mi). In 2012 was completed a dredging project for deepening the main shipping channel to the current 16 m (53 ft). With its arrival in November 2013, the boxship CMA CGM Corte Real made a new North American record for call port cargo handling (10,000+ TEU moves).

In August 2017, the Port reported record-breaking container shipping volumes of 847,857 TEU-containers (6,1% increase over August 2016). August 2017 became the second-busiest month in the Port's history, following January 2017 when the container cargo volumes climbed by 9% over January 2016, with handled 8,8 million TEUs. The previous record (2013) was 7,9 million TEUs.

For FY2017, the seaport reported a record year for cargo shipping - 9,343 million TEUs (5,5% increase over 2016). Among the implemented in 2017 technology upgrades was "Port Optimizer" (online portal developed by GE Transportation). It collects and stores key cargo data to facilitate better harbor tracking. Infrastructural upgrades were completed at the terminals TraPac and Yusen.

World Cruise Center (San Pedro) is located beneath Vincent Thomas Bridge (length 6060 ft / 1847 m). The suspension bridge crosses LA Harbor and links San Pedro with the man-made Terminal Island. San Pedro cruise port has 3 berths and serves 1+ million passengers annually, ranking it West Coast USA's largest cruise terminal. Popular waterfront attractions located nearby are USS Iowa Museum, Los Angeles Maritime Museum, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. They are all linked to the cruise port via pedestrian promenade. Shuttle bus service (provided by Waterfront Red Car Line) is a 2,5 km /(1,5 mi) long vintage trolley line along the waterfront connecting cruise terminals with downtown, Ports O'Call Village (shopping/dining complex) and San Pedro Marina.

LA Waterfront is a tourist-serving destination funded and maintained by LA port. In 2009 were approved development programs for San Pedro and Wilmington waterfronts (officially "LA Waterfront"). The area consists of 1,6 km2 (0,63 mi2) San Pedro and Wilmington properties, miles-long promenade and walking paths, large open space areas, LA Waterfront project's construction works started in 2017 and were completed in 2020. This port development project (budgeted USD 90 million) was fully paid by Port Los Angeles.

On March 9, 2023, started construction works on the Port's "Front Street Beautification Project" (budget US$10,3 million) scheduled for completion in 2024. This is among several port development projects aiming to enhance connectivity and public access between the waterfronts of LA and both San Pedro and Wilmington, by building a new pedestrian linkage (22-ft/7-m-wide multi-use pathway) used for walking, jogging, and cycling, as well as new lighting and landscaping. The new pathway starts at the northeast corner of Front Str and Pacific Ave (north of Vincent Thomas Bridge). The project also included a new 5-ft/1,5-m wide strip along Front Street.

The Cunard ship RMS Queen Mary 2 is currently port's largest cruise liner. The ever-largest liner homeported in LA is RCI-Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. In 2009-2011, the 3835-passenger ship operated regularly scheduled 7-day roundtrips to Mexican Riviera ports. However, due to increased violence in Mexico, in 2011 the liner was relocated to the Caribbean (homeported in Galveston TX). In 2021, RCI plans to homeport in LA Voyager of the Seas (June through December) for 3-4-night roundtrips to Mexico. Voyager OTS and Mariner OTS are sisterships.

In 2004, Port LA installed its first Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) berth, providing shore-to-ship power up to 40 MW. It allows city-grid power supply for 2 vessels simultaneously. The facility also supplies with power 3 container terminals. The technology (by Nidec Corporation, Japan) enables docked vessels to receive electricity from the city's power grid. From the berth, vessels can plug-in directly to the grid for full onboard operations without using diesel engines or gas turbines (being shut down right after docking). The Japanese company has installed such shorepower systems in the ports San Francisco CA, Juneau AK, Goteborg, Travemunde, Livorno, Genoa. In 2018 was completed the system's upgrade for providing more electricity for larger-sized cruise vessels. Shoreside power was installed at berths 91 and 93, where 2 docked liners can be connected simultaneously. Utility bills (to LA's Department of Water and Power) are paid by the seaport, which then invoices the shipowner/terminal operator for reimbursement. The estimated monthly electricity cost is minimum USD 11250 (annual US$125,000). The Port has 30+ electrified berths where boxships and refrigerated cargo carriers can use shoreside power.

In November 2017, Pier 400 (APM Terminals in Port Los Angeles) reported a single-vessel cargo record during the call of the containership Maersk Evora (a total of 24,846 TEUs loaded and offloaded over a period of 128 hours. The vessel docked at Pier 400 on October 19, calling LA as part of the Europe-Far East service AE6/TP6. On December 26, 2015, while the boxship CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin was berthed here, the terminal handled a total of 11,200 TEUs over a 56-hour period.

In 2018, in Los Angeles was homeported its ever-largest liner so far - NCL's Alaskan ship Norwegian Bliss (2018-built, 326 m long, 168,000 tons, 4900 passengers + 1700 crew). The maiden port call was on May 25, ending here a 15-day Panama Canal repositioning from Miami Florida. Following the Alaskan season's end (October), NCL Bliss had scheduled all four 7-day roundtrips from Los Angeles to Mexican Riviera ports (Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo), with departures October 13, 20, 27.

For 2018 (3rd consecutive record year), Port Los Angeles reported a record-breaking container shipping volume - 9,458749 million TEUs, or 1,2% increase over 2017. The year's monthly record was for October (952,554 TEUs/27,2% increase over Oct 2017). This was the most cargo in a single month in the Port's 111-year history. TEU imports increased 26,7% (to 485,824 units). TEU exports increased 20,5% (to 173,824 units). Empty TEUs increased 25% (to 292,906 units). Port's previous record (924,225 TEUs) was in November 2017. December 2018 was port's busiest December ever - 903,258 TEUs (15,9% increase over Dec 2017), including imports (468,906 TEUs) and exports (147,965 TEUs).

• January 2019 became Port's busiest-ever (852,449 TEUs/5,4% increase over January 2018). Imports grew 1,7% (to 429,923 TEUs). Exports dropped 3,4% (to 144,993 TEUs). Empty TEUs increased 17,7% (to 277,534).
• In June 2021 were processed 876,430 TEUs (+27% over June 2020), including imports (467,763 TEUs/+27%), exports (96,067 TEUs/-12%/Port's lowest export volume since 2005), empty TEUs (312,600/+47%/due to Asia's demand).
• FY2020-21 ended with the record 10,879383 million TEUs (+12% compared to FY2018-19).

In October 2019, Port Los Angeles announced plans for an Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal project (berths 46 and 50). The development project includes the construction of a new passenger terminal on LA Waterfront's south end. The 13-acres/5,3-hectares site is currently used as a special event venue and a temporary dock for cruise liners. Optional for the developer would be to operate year-round the existing LA cruise terminal (berths 91-93) and seasonally the facilities at berths 54-55.

In 2019, the cruise port handled 111 ship calls and around 518,000 tourists, in 2019 - 124 calls (~650,000 tourists), and for 2020 were booked 126 berthings with estimated ~705,000 passengers. Port's record year for cruise shipping was 2008 when it handled 265 ship calls and 1,195897 million passengers.

In November 2021 CMA-CGM signed an agreement for the acquisition of 90% stake in FMS Terminal (Fenix Marine Services/operated under concession thru 2043) for USD 2,3 billion (EUR 2B). FMS is the Port's 3rd-largest terminal by annual TEU capacity (~2,5 million). The facility has land area 292 acres (118 hectares), 4 berths (50 ft / 15 m draft), 16 gantry cranes (8 for ULCVs/Ultra Large Container Ships), direct railway connection (8 tracks), 700+ reefer plugs (for refrigerated TEUs).

Port Long Beach CA

Port Long Beach is currently ranked USA's second-largest containership port - after the adjoining Port Los Angeles. Both ports are the country's main gateway for the shipping trade with Asia. As of 2020, Port Long Beach is connected to 217 seaports worldwide via 175 shipping lines. It handles ~USD 180 billion in shipping trade annually and supports hundreds of thousands of maritime jobs (316,000+ in California State). Port's combined annual shipping trade value (imports and exports) is nearly USD 100 billion, with ~USD 5,6 billion in California state and tax revenues. Annually, USD 800+ million is spent on Long Beach City-based distribution services. In LA, Long Beach port operations generate 230,000+ jobs, with USD 10+ billion going annually to Los Angeles City distribution services.

The port covers a total area of approx 5 mi2 / 13 km2 (land) and has approx 25 mi / 40 km long waterfront (in Long Beach City). The port is located approx 3 mi / 3 km southwest of the city's downtown and approx 25 mi / 40 km south of downtown LA.

• In 2012 was launched the "Green Ship Program" to attract the cleanest ships (Tier III classed). The program (initially planned through June 2022, later extended through June 30, 2024) offers rewards to shipowners/operators (based on engine and fuel types) ranging/per port call from US$600 to US$9000.
• In 2005 was launched the "Vessel Speed Reduction" (aka "Green Flag Program") that rewards vessels for slowing their speeds to 12 knots (14 mph/22 kph) within 20-40 NM/nautical miles of Point Fermin. By this program are offered dockage fee discounts (15%-25%, respectively, for 20-40 NM). In 2021, ~94% of all ships complied within 20 NM and ~88% within 40 NM.
• Both programs (Green Ship and Green Flag) are voluntary.

In 2017, Port Long Beach reported a record year for its cargo shipping volumes, handling 7,54+ million TEUs (11% increase over 2016's 6,775171M TEUs). In November alone, through the port were moved 612,659 TEUs (+14,7% over Nov 2016). Long Beach is among the world's largest cargo ports and USA's gateway for Transpacific (USA-Asia) shipping trade.

In May 2017, the port's containerized cargo traffic was 687,427 TEUs (+6% over May 2017). In 2018-Q1 (January-March), Port Long Beach reported its record Q1 results, with its terminals handling nearly 1,9 million TEUs (+19,4% over 2017-Q1).

In the period April 2017 - February 2018 was completely renovated, redesigned and expanded Carnival's Long Beach Cruise Terminal (read more in the Port's terminal section). On February 10, 2018, Carnival Cruise Line (tenant) reopened "Pier H" terminal after the berth was electrified.

In December 2018, APM Terminals (The Hague-based international container terminal operator) set a new record for company's North American operations handling 27,846 TEUs on a single vessel. The operation (at Pier 400) included complete discharge of import cargo and complete load of export TEUs plus empty containers to balance the boxship Eleonora Maersk (capacity 15,500 TEUs). The previous record (24,846 TEUs) was on Evora Maersk in October 2017. Port Long Beach's Pier 400 APM terminal (sized 2 km2) is one of the few fitted with large gantry cranes that can serve such boxships with 10 high (TEUs) above deck stowage. These cranes can reach 22 container rows across the beam of these mega-ships.

On April 30, 2019, Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT LLC) was sold for USD 1,78 billion to a consortium led by Macquarie Infrastructure Management Inc (USA). Terminal's previous owner was OOIL (Orient Overseas International Ltd) - subsidiary of China's COSCO SHIPPING Holdings Co Ltd. As part of the deal, OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd / subsidiary of OOIL) entered into a 20-year (until 2039) Container Stevedoring and Terminal Services Agreement with LBCT.

• LBCT (at Middle Harbor) was completed in August 2021 and fully equipped by January 2022.
• Construction works on the USD 1,493 billion terminal project started in May 2011.
• In 2016 was completed Phase 1, allowing cargo operations to start on an initial area of 151 acres/61,1 hectares.
• In October 2017 was competed Phase 2, expanding LBCT to 191 acres/77,3 hectares.
• The final part (Phase 3) was completed in July 2021, expanding LBCT to 300 acres/121,4 hectares.
• LBCT has a large container yard/storage, an administration building, an on-dock rail yard, a concrete wharf (length 4200 ft/1280 m, berthing capacity 3x ULCVs/largest boxships simultaneously), a line of 14x electric STS (ship-to-shore/rail-mounted gantry cranes).
• Now, Terminal's annual capacity is 3,3 million TEUs, ranking it the USA's 6th-largest seaport. LBCT generates 14000+ permanent Californian jobs.
• After docking at LBCT, all boxships are plugged into shorepower connections, using electricity from the city grid.

July 2020 was Port Long Beach's ever-busiest month (in its 109-year history) with moved total 753,081 TEUs and 21,1% increased trade (over July 2019). Imports increased 20,3% (376,807 TEUs), exports 24,1% (138,602 TEUs), empty containers 20,8% (237,672 TEUs). The cargo port's previous monthly record (752,188 TEUs) was set in June 2018.

Los Angeles cruise terminal

Los Angeles tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Near San Pedro

• Los Angeles Maritime Museum: explore the history of the harbor in Los Angeles. It is located half mile away from the Los Angeles cruise port, direction South, in the Municipal Ferry Terminal at Harbor and 6th.
• Ports O’ Call: a mile away from the Los Angeles cruise port, direction South. Great place where you will find shops, restaurants, galleries and bars in New England seaside town atmosphere.
• Red Car Trolley Ride: a vintage line connecting the Marina and the World Cruise Center. It stops by the LA Maritime Museum and Ports O’ Call.
• Abalone Cove: amazing, lively beach located 4 miles away from Los Angeles cruise port, direction West. Enjoy stunning Catalina island views or rock pool at the Sacred Cove Bay.

Near Long Beach

• Queen Mary: the famous ocean liner just by the terminal. It was in service from 1936 to 1976 for Cunard Line. Currently she is part hotel part museum.
• Aquarium of The Pacific, Shoreline Aquatic Park: you will need just 5 minutes by car to get there. Enjoy the sea with its habitants in the Aquarium of The Pacific and walk through the Shoreline Aquatic Park to discover amazing green spaces.
• The Naples Canals: explore the Naples Canal and the Rivo Alto Canal.
• Rancho Los Cerritos Ranch: explore the tradition of Mexican, Spanish and American California origins in a combination.