Long Beach port commission OKs Toyota Logistics facility upgrades

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a proposal by Toyota Logistics Services to redevelop its Pier B facility, build a renewable energy power plant and create a fueling station.

One of the port's oldest customers, Toyota Logistics operates a marine terminal to off-load new automobiles from ships, process the vehicles and transport them off site via rail and truck. The planned redevelopment project would make those operations more efficient, Port of Long Beach officials said in a press release.

Construction is anticipated to begin later this year and take 18 months to complete. The project calls for replacing separate office, car washing, fueling, auto body and other facilities with a new single building; constructing a 2.3-megawatt fuel-cell power plant; and building a fueling station that will include hydrogen.

"We've grown together during a business partnership that's almost a half-century old, and part of the reason we've remained successful is recognizing the need to invest in modernization projects like this to improve our operations," said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

A rail facility at Pier B primarily is used by Pacific Harbor Line Inc., which provides dispatching and switching services, and interchanges with BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad.