Long Beach port's FY2016 plan includes rail projects; Oshawa port opens new rail spur

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners earlier this week approved an $829 million budget for fiscal-year 2016, including $555 million for capital improvements at the Port of Long Beach.

The capital spending includes the port's major terminal redevelopment and bridge replacement projects. The budget anticipates a 6.1 percent increase in operating revenue compared with the current fiscal year revenue.

The biggest pieces of the capital improvement budget are the ongoing Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project and the Middle Harbor Redevelopment, which includes the greenest container terminal in the world, Port of Long Beach officials said in a press release. Other improvements include sewer and street projects, dredging and rail improvements.

The spending plan focuses on strengthening the port’s competitiveness and improving safety, security and environmental sustainability.

With the nearby Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach forms the major hub for West Coast trade by sea.

Meanwhile, the Port of Oshawa in Ontario last week marked the official opening of a new $4.1 million rail spur that connects the port's East Wharf to an existing CN spur north of port land.

The new spur will allow the port to handle more cargo and enter the niche project cargo market, Oshawa Port Authority (OPA) officials said in a press release. The track includes an oversized dimensional move section to accommodate project cargo that's too big to move over the road.

"The rail spur is a crucial link that helps us meet the growing demands of businesses,” said OPA President and Chief Executive Officer Donna Taylor. "Oshawa’s national deep-sea port is now truly intermodal, and able to move cargo of all sizes year round. That’s a huge advantage."