Long Beach port expansion approved

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, California, US has approved the 10-year Middle Harbor Redevelopment project following an "exhaustive" environmental study.

The US$ 750 million project will merge the existing two Port of Long Beach terminals into "one of the greenest, most environmentally friendly terminal in the world", according to James C. Hankla, president of the board of commissioners, and could create an estimated 14000 jobs.

Construction will be phased in, allowing cargo operations to continue at the two terminals, Long Beach Container Terminal and California United Terminals.

A major feature of the project will be to add 65000 ft (19800 m) of railroad track, which will allow nearly one-third of all the cargo at Middle Harbor to be moved by train, taking trucks off the road.

The project would create a single 345-acre (140 ha) facility by merging the existing terminals and adding 51 acres (21 ha) of land by filling in slips.