Merging the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles?

To say that the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles have a little rivalry with each other would be a bit of an understatement. There has been, and in many ways still, a heated rival that existed between both mega ports. Over the years, both ports have taken away container shipping clients from each other and disagreed on numerous projects.

Recently, the LA 2020 Commission, which is a group comprised of several notable business and civic leaders, made a startling suggestion that could rock the United States trade market. The suggestion of the LA 2020 Commission calls for the Port of Long Beach to merge with the Port of Los Angeles. The LA 2020 Commission arrived at their decision for the two large ports to merge because of the loss of a market share that both ports have had in recent years. In addition, a merger might be able to help keep jobs and tax revenue in the region. The LA 2020 Commission reached their conclusion in a special 28-page report entitled “A Time For Action”. The LA 2020 Commission is concerned about future shipping projects.

As expected, both ports responded to this news. The Port of Long Beach flat out said that they were not interested in a merger and rejected the entire idea. The Port of Los Angeles was more open to it. Across the United States, ports do cooperate with each other and freight forwarders support it. And a merger would certainly impact ocean freight shipping rates in the future.