Port of Long Beach accepts FEMA grants to beef up security, sets record in July

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently awarded $3.4 million in grants to improve security at the Port of Long Beach.

The port's Security Division will use the grants to enhance physical security equipment, as well as monitoring and detection systems such as the Virtual Port System. The port will also use the funds to improve the system’s resiliency.

The grant program requires the port to pay for at least 25 percent of the project.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the port has received $136 million in grants to beef up its security resources.

Meanwhile, port officials reported that cargo container volumes surged 18.4 percent in July compared with the same month last year. That increase made July 2015 a record month in the port's 104-year history, according to a press release.

The port’s terminals moved 690,244 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) last month. Imports jumped to 345,912 TEUs, up 16.2 percent compared with July 2014. Exports rose 15.9 percent to 143,875 TEUs last month compared with a year ago.