The Port of Los Angeles moved forward Thursday, Dec. 16, on providing pre-approved and needed funding to finish two container storage facilities and covering additional costs to deal with old utility infrastructure during ongoing work for the Wilmington Waterfront project.
Contingency funds amounting to $1.5 million for additional work were prompted by old and unforeseen infrastructure issues encountered at the waterfront site; and $2 million to finish container storage facilities were unanimously approved by harbor commissioners. The additional funding already was approved as part of a contingency fund for the contract costs.
The two container storage facilities are being brought online temporarily to help relieve congestion issues at the port and will likely be used to house primarily empty containers now cluttering terminal space that is needed to unload newly arriving cargo from waiting ships.
An 8-acre facility is already partly completed at Berth 120 at the West Base Container Terminal. It will be able to store about 5,000 containers — or 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units — stacked six high.
The second is 3 acres at Berth 195, adjacent to the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics auto terminal site, which will hold about 1,800 TEUs stacked four high.
The port also is proposing a lot for container parking at 1599 W. John S. Gibson Blvd., which would be paved, striped, fenced and landscaped with 393 stalls that could be used for loading and unloading of shipping containers. Public comment will be taken on the proposal through Jan. 17.
Addressing the Wilmington Waterfront work, said Tony Gioiello, deputy executive director of development for the port, is not unusual. In this case, the infrastructure is from the DWP operations in the same area.
Work on the Wilmington Waterfront project now is about 44% complete, according to a board presentation. Most recently, a new realigned section of Water Street was opened.
In other reports given at the board meeting, Executive Director Gene Seroka said the proposed fees on containers staying on docks too long continues to be in “pause” mode as the boxes are now moving out at an acceptable rate.
“The container dwell fee remains suspended,” he said. “Dec. 20 is the new consideration date.”
The fee has been on hold ever since it was announced on Oct. 24, with new consideration about whether to apply it reviewed each Monday.
“In Los Angeles, import containers (sitting on docks) dropped 42% since Oct. 24,” Seroka said. “Cargo sitting nine days or longer have dropped 58%.”