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The Port of Los Angeles had the second-busiest year in its history in 2024, but this year will pose multiple challenges, including continuing environmental initiatives and looming tariffs that new Trump administration has promised, POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka said on Thursday, Jan. 23. Seroka’s assessment of last year’s successes and what’s in store for 2025 came before a record audience at the 10th annual State of the Port speech.
The neighboring Port of Long Beach hosted its 2025 State of the Port speech last week . The event, attended by nearly 650 community and business leaders and sponsored by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, drew frequent applause as Seroka declared the upcoming year to be one that would advance a focus on port neighbors and workers, bold environmental initiatives and cargo flow capacity. The port finished 2024 with 10.
3 million container units being processed, nearly a 20% increase over 2023 and the second-best year in POLA’s 117-year history, Seroka said. “Today we celebrate a remarkable milestone: 25 years — a quarter century — as the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere,” Seroka told the audience. “This achievement is a testament to our shared dedication and hard work.
” Seroka also announced new initiatives: one with UCLA focusing on advancing clean technology and another with the California Community Colleges system seeking to prepare students for future industry jobs, which will also focus on decarbonization and environmental stewardship. But there are challenges ahead, Seroka said, including “the ever-changing global landscape.” “Our ability to adapt was highlighted last year with the Red Sea attacks, drought conditions in the Panama Canal, and labor negotiations on the East and Gulf coasts,” Seroka said.
“In Washington, the new administration is talking about more tariffs and trade constraints. This post-globalization era is creating new headwinds that we must navigate. “I promise you, I will knock on every door in Washington,” he added.
“We need that strategy of federal and local partnerships.” Closer to home, meanwhile, the upcoming 16-month closure of the heavily traveled Vincent Thomas Bridge will slow traffic and require all parties to work together, Seroka said. The work, expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026, is needed to replace the aging and damaged road bed on the mile-long bridge that connects San Pedro to Terminal Island and is a primary connector for supply chain movement in and out of the ports of LA and Long Beach.
Much of Seroka’s address, interspersed with video clips, focused on advancements made in the past few years as the port has handled growing cargo numbers — and a burgeoning cruise business — while also tackling the issue of port-related pollution that has long been a concern. “Our goal isn’t fewer emissions,” Seroka said. “It’s zero emissions.
” The ports are exceeding the goals they set in 2005 , Seroka said, with greenhouse gas emissions dropping 24%, and diesel particulate matter and nitrogen oxide levels “way below what we expected and committed to our communities.” Air emissions at the twin ports, Seroka said, “are at their lowest levels since we began measuring in 2005.” “We are now down to the last 9% of diesel particulate matter,” he added, “and the last 2% of sulfur oxides from anything with an engine that moves through our gateway.
” Nearly 500 zero-emissions trucks are now in service at the port complex, Seroka said, with a “growing fleet of dockside tractors, top handlers and other equipment” as well. And new recently announced matching grants “will allow us to deploy 250 ZE trucks and replace diesel equipment on our docks with 424 ZE units, supported by 300 charging stations,” Seroka said. The waterfronts of both San Pedro and Wilmington, meanwhile continue taking shape, Seroka said, with the former’s West Harbor development seeing soft openingslast year; the grand opening is still set for 2026.
The port “recently invested over $90 million in the San Pedro promenade for its opening, which will feature 42 acres of land and waterfront with 150,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, with more room to grow,” Seroka said. “We’re also excited about plans for a 6,200-seat amphitheater, in partnership with the Nederlander Organization.” Tenants for the first West Harbor building are now working to build out their spaces, a spokesperson for the project’s developer said in an email.
“As of today,” the email said, “those on track to be open later this year include Hopscotch, Harbor Breeze, King and Queen Cantina, Mario’s Deli, Mike Hess, and Poppy + Rose.” More than 4 miles of waterfront promenade space and more than 120 acres of public open space have already have been created using port-issued community investment grants and funding from the state and federal governments, as well as the port’s Public Access Investment Plan, Seroka said. In February, port officials cut the ribbon on the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade and will soon break ground soon on the Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway portion of the plan, Seroka said.
“When that’s completed,” he said, “it will finally connect the community of Wilmington to their waterfront for the first time in over a century.” Seroka, during his speech, also commended dockworkers, noting that longshore registration has grown by 27%, and highlighted training centers coming online as technology advances. Seroka also reflected on his decade in charge of the nation’s busiest port — and what’s to come.
“This last decade has been transformative,” Seroka said, “and the next 10 years could bring more dramatic changes than we’ve ever seen before.”.
