The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are seeking proposals from short-line rail operators to provide rail operations and maintenance within the San Pedro Bay ports complex.
As the busiest port complex in the Western Hemisphere, San Pedro Bay handled nearly 20 million containers in 2024.
Though managed separately, both ports share the same short line network supporting intermodal rail. Pacific Harbor Line Inc. has held the contract since it was last bid in 1998.
Improving on-dock rail use — moving containers directly from terminals to trains — is key to meeting the goals of the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), a joint effort by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
Updated in 2017, the CAAP set a target to move 35 per cent of containers by rail.
The Port of Long Beach is investing heavily in rail, including its $1.8 billion Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, part of a 10-year, multibillion-dollar capital program.
A request for proposals, including detailed information and the application schedule, is available on the Port of Long Beach’s PlanetBids site.
Submissions are due by 28 July 2025.
In March, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) reported that February dwell time data for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continued to reflect surges in intermodal demand.