LBPOST.com: State Of The Port: Creating A Sustainable Future

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State Of The Port: Creating A Sustainable Future

by Ryan ZumMallen | Long Beach News | 01.29.10 |

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2:10pm | Port of Long Beach executive director Richard Steinke delivered his annual State of the Port address today and looked to a sustainable future after a difficult 2009.

"We are creating the Port of the future," Steinke said, referring to various infrastructure improvement and environmental measures that the Port will pursue. Some of those projects include the recently-approved Middle Harbor expansion development and the continuing process of updating the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Steinke also pointed to the environmental successes of the Clean Trucks Program and electrical charges for docked container ships.

Of course, the past year was not a kind one to the Port due to the effects of the recession and dwindling trade. The Port saw a 22% drop in container cargo volume and a 33% decline in 20-foot containers (TEUs) since its peak in 2007. Steinke noted that the end of 2009 saw improvement and predicted slow growth along the lines of 3-4% per month during 2010.

"I believe that the rebound has started and the worst is behind us," he said.

More to come...

Comments

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Aileen
Direfctor Steinke did an excellent job in presenting today's snap shot of the port and the fierce competion it faces, especially with Prince Rupert and the Panama Canal that we can anticipate will grow from the traffic that is anticipated to move from the 1st and 2nd largest ports in the US It was wonderful news to see the project pix's of the new bridge that will finally replace the Desmond Bridge, long over due. It will take continued creative marketing and reinventing to keep and hopefully grow at the port as so many people are dependent for jobs that are created in our area and the nation. Looking forward to the rest of your reporting on this subject.

lbresident
The port forgot to mention that they'll be funding the reconfiguration of the breakwater. It was pier j expansion that stopped the circulation and wave activity so the port must act as a good corporate citizen and fund this important effort.

Converted Port Critic
It's hard not to be impressed with the work done by POLB in the past few years. Steinke, Lytle, Thiessen, et al seem to really be taking this "Green Port" thing to heart and making significant changes to benefit the environment, particulaly in the surrounding communities. It's tough to do at any time, particularly in this economy and I think they deserve a lot of credit.

Ray
I think everyone has done a fine job on infastructure development etc. However, I believe they are all missing an important point which is that costs to shippers and receivers of cargo have gone up more than other ports such as Canada, Mexico,Gulf and east coast. We are diverting cargos when ever possible and I am sure tha people like Walmart are investigating costs very seriously. The ports benefit everyone in the area and shippers should not be the only ones who pay for improvements

JoeWeinstein
I am sure that yet again everyone is determined to overlook the inconvenient truth that, thanks to sea-level rise, all these plans will literally go under in at most decades. See the state's first of many forthcoming years annual reports, web-posted last month: 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy report.

CHARLIE
It was an excellent report of progress and projects to come, strengthening even deeper my faith & trust in our Port Management Team, and I'm convinced they will pay their fair share in the necessary reconfigeration of the breakwater!

Rosa S.
Steinke couldn't resist another opportunity to claim all the emissions reduction credit for LA's efforts on the Clean Truck Program. Will anyone ever cop to the proven evidence (and reported in the Press Telegram) that Long Beach has brought a mere clean 250 trucks to the harbor before they settled and caved to the trucking lobby's demands?

RestoreOurShore
CHARLIE, I hope your right and the port supports and help pay for the breakwater reconfiguration. We need clean water and beaches just as much as we need clean air. As far as air pollution goes I wish the port would pay more attention to the air pollution caused by the ships as they contribute way more to it then the trucks.

CHARLIE
Thank you, RestoreOurShore, for you comment and concerns. For your FYI - This is being discussed now to include ships with a power plug in so ship engines can be turned off while in dock; They contribute more pollutants than diesel trucks & trains combined. The Ports and Breakwater renewal plans are great, rest assured! We will have clean water/air and waves again - implementation takes time...

JM
Harbor Director Dick Steinke has done a tremendous job in leading one of the world's great ports, while also paying increased attention to the responsibilities the Port bears in ensuring that its many successes come not at the expense of the community at large. What a far cry from the Port's leadership of the past. Steinke, his Commission, management team and staff, give Long Beach their maximum effort and it shows.

Long Beach News

LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.

Ryan ZumMallen is a graduate of the CSULB School of Journalism, writing for the campus' Union Weekly newspaper and serving as Sports Editor for one year. He has written for numerous news and sports websites and magazines, as well as television experience with Fox Sports and ABC Channel 7.