The Port of Long Beach is betting its future growth on inland rail connectivity. With over $2 billion committed to rail and the Pier B project targeting 24-hour ship-to-rail transfers, rail velocity —not port size — is becoming the decisive factor in winning discretionary cargo.
As competition for discretionary Asia–U.S. cargo intensifies, inland rail connectivity is emerging as the defining factor in how ports grow — and which gateways win. According to incoming Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba, the ports that can move containers from vessel to rail fastest will shape the next phase of U.S. intermodal dominance.
With shippers increasingly focused on end-to-end transit time rather than coastal proximity alone, Long Beach is positioning rail velocity — not berth capacity — as its primary growth engine.
Discretionary cargo — freight that can move through either West Coast or East Coast ports — is highly sensitive to total transit time from Asia to inland U.S. markets such as Chicago, Dallas, Memphis, Atlanta, and Columbus.
While East Coast ports benefit from closer proximity to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, West Coast ports retain a major advantage when inland rail execution is fast and reliable. Today, roughly two-thirds of Long Beach’s containerized cargo moves to the eastern half of the U.S., primarily by rail.
For cargo originating in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, West Coast ports still offer ocean transit times that are at least two weeks faster than routings via the Panama or Suez canals — but only if inland rail handoffs are efficient.
At the center of Long Beach’s strategy is the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, a multi-phase infrastructure project that began construction in 2024 and will continue through2032.
Today, containers at the LA–Long Beach complex take an average of just under four days to move from ship to train. The port’s target is ambitious: 24 hours or less once Pier B is fully operational.
When completed, Pier B will:
The goal is clear: higher velocity translates directly into higher port capacity without adding terminal congestion.
Long Beach is backing its strategy with capital. More than $2billion of the port’s $3.2 billion capital expenditure plan over the next decade is dedicated to rail infrastructure.
This investment reflects a broader industry shift: ports are no longer competing solely on quay length or crane count, but on how efficiently they integrate with inland transportation networks.
Beyond Pier B, Long Beach is closely aligned with BNSF’s proposed $1.5 billion Barstow International Gateway, an inland rail hub located roughly 130 miles from the port. The facility is designed to handle both transloaded cargo and intact intermodal shipments serving smaller inland markets.
Together, on-dock rail and inland hubs create a layered intermodal ecosystem — one that allows West Coast ports to remain competitive even as sourcing patterns diversify across Asia.
For importers and exporters, the message is increasingly clear:
As discretionary cargo remains fluid, ports that can guarantee predictable inland velocity will continue to attract volume —regardless of shifting production geographies.
Source:https://www.joc.com/article/inland-rail-connectivity-key-to-port-of-long-beach-growth-new-ceo-6133971
