
With a focus on “people, planet and performance,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka outlined the port’s agenda for the coming year at the POLA’s 10th annual State of the Port event on Jan. 23.
Seroka, now in his 11th year as executive director, outlined the POLA’s strategic priorities for the year ahead in the aforementioned three key areas.
People
Emphasizing the need to prioritize people and workforce development, Seroka highlighted the port’s newly opened $16 million ILWU-PMA Maintenance and Repair Training Center on Terminal Island, and the ongoing development of a new Goods Movement Training Facility. Both focus on the reskilling and up-skilling of workers serving the port.
Remarking on the importance of bringing future talent to the industry, Seroka announced two educational initiatives: one with UCLA that focuses on advancing clean technology, and another with the California Community College system that seeks to prepare students for future maritime industry jobs, particularly careers focused on decarbonization and environmental stewardship.
Planet
Seroka told the crowd of about 640 attendees that the Port of LA has long been a leader in cleaning up ports and reducing pollution, and that its many environmental initiatives over more than two decades have reduced emissions of all kinds, with diesel particulate matter down 91% and sulfur oxides reduced by 98% since 2005, even with simultaneous cargo growth of 15% over that same period.
The most recent Air Emissions Inventory indicates the lowest level of overall emissions since 2005.
Now, Seroka said, the port’s on a more aggressive path of a zero emissions future.
“Our goal isn’t fewer emissions, it’s zero emissions,” he said. “It’s about setting a new standard for ports worldwide, proving that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.”
Seroka outlined some of the major initiatives underway to achieve the port’s zero emissions goals, including ramping up the number of no emissions trucks in service at the port; investing $640 million in new cargo handling equipment, trucks and charging stations; moving ahead with the POLA’s Hydrogen Hub project, focused on producing zero emissions terminal cargo handling equipment; and creating green shipping corridors with ports around the world to decarbonize the vessel-side of the maritime industry.
He also noted that work has started on a major $500 million enhancement project with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power that would allow the POLA to handle more electric equipment and clean shore power operations in the future.
Performance
Seroka’s remarks included the revelation that the POLA finished 2024 by processing more than 10.3 million container units, which is a nearly 20% increase over 2023, and the second-best year in the 117-year history of the port, data show.
He also discussed initiatives contributing to improved performance and efficiencies at the port, including the recently completed $73 million Pier 400 On-Dock Rail Expansion project, and another similar rail expansion currently underway at Fenix Marine Pier 300.
Additionally, he reiterated the importance of using data to improve performance, and discussed how the port’s been able to build on its Port Optimizer, a digital platform first introduced in 2017 providing stakeholders real-time data and predictable cargo planning capabilities.
Seroka shared that the platform’s latest feature, a Universal Trucking Appointment System, now allows nearly 20,000 truckers serving the port to digitally manage terminal appointments. Just introduced to improve workflow, the system is already showing promising results.
“Everything we do to speed containers through the port pays off, because for every four containers we move, it equals one job,” he said.
The State of the Port, hosted by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, gives all proceeds from the event to two local non-profit organizations: EXP, which focuses on next-generation maritime workforce development, and the International Seafarers Center, which provides and maintains facilities and services for merchant seamen calling at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.