THE Port of Los Angeles has undergone its biggest ever improvement with the channel dredging to handle the biggest ships afloat, as well as the largest ones on the drawing boards.
LA's port boss Geraldine Knatz emphasises need for competitive edge THE Port of Los Angeles has undergone its biggest ever improvement with the channel dredging to handle the biggest ships afloat, as well as the largest ones on the drawing boards.
"Competition is more intense. Competition is even more intense between Los Angeles and Long Beach because of limited organic growth," said LA port executive director Geraldine Knatz.
"There's a terminal being developed in Mexico. And there's Canada. And then we have the Panama Canal. We're going to have to fight harder to keep the businesses," she said.
"And to do that, you make sure you provide the best facilities for the customers - we're working with all the stakeholders to improve services, because all of those things become important," she said.
The port's executive director Geraldine Knatz emphasises that it's all about providing service to the tenants at the port, and at its core, that is what will keep the Port of Los Angeles healthy and thriving in the future.
In the past year, the 7,500-acre port has seen a relatively flat rate of activity, one that is projected to continue through the current year. In 2012, shipping through the port increased 1.7 per cent, from 7.9 million TEU to 8.1 million TEU, meaning that the Port retains its position atop the list of US ports in terms of container volume handled, the Long Beach Business Journal reported.
In terms of new clients, the most significant is the United Arab Shipping Company, which is cooperating with China Shipping Container Lines to offer three different services to North America. Two of the lines, featuring smaller 4,250-TEU containerships, will call at the China Shipping terminal at the port.
With greater competition on the horizon, the port is cognisant of the need to make sure it remains competitive, and is working on a series of programmes designed to make the port more efficient and a better neighbour to the surrounding communities.
