Terminal Expansion Project Kicks Off at Port of Long Beach

International Transportation Services (ITS), which operates one of the six container terminals at the Port of Long Beach in California, started a major expansion program that will create 19 acres of new space for stacking containers. When the project is completed in 2028, it will increase capacity by 50 percent for ITS to support the long-term growth of the port.

The port and ITS hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on July 11 for the $365 million project. A long-term operator at the port, ITS currently has approximately 246 acres of yard space and 6,700 feet of berth. The operation is supported by 15 cranes and offers a 42.5-foot draft.

A key part of the project is a 560-foot extension of the existing quay. The upgrade begins with filling in a 19-acre “horseshoe” gap at the terminal. It will create a single, continuous wharf measuring 3,400 feet, which will allow ITS to simultaneously berth up to two 18,000 TEU container vessels. The company and the port called the program a major step forward in handling the next generation of ultra-large ships and increasing overall terminal throughput.

Located in the outer harbor, the ITS terminal is currently nearly divided in half by the south slip, which will be filled with about 2.5 million cubic yards of reused sediment from within the Harbor District in addition to sediments dredged from Newport Harbor at Newport Beach. When completed by December 2028, ITS highlights the project will also increase overall efficiency for the terminal.

Rendering of the expanded facility with the capability to handle two 18,000 TEU containerships (Port of Long Beach)

The expansion is kicking off as the port faces uncertainties due to the Trump administration's tariff policies. The dual ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the primary gateway for imports from China and Asia.

While overall volume in the port was up over 17 percent in the first five months of 2025, some of the growth was imports and retailers front-loading to beat the anticipated tariffs. The port handled 4 million TEU in the first five months, but in May (the last reported month), TEU volume declined more than 8 percent due to tariffs and retaliatory tariffs. Port officials were hopeful that they would see a rebound as the U.S. and China paused tariffs and were working on long-term agreements. Growth of the port’s long-term volumes depends on the stability of imports from China and Asia.