Port to Receive $225M in Federal Funding

Former Long Beach Mayor and current Congressman Robert Garcia recently announced that the United States House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will be investing $225 million in the Port of Long Beach.

With recent approval from the committee, the investment is stated to be a major benefit to the POLB’s ongoing developments, including that of its Deep Draft Navigation (Channel Deepening) Project: a major $318.5 million navigation improvement initiative led by both the POLB and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the intention of accommodating larger cargo and liquid bulk vessels while improving safety and efficiency.

In an official statement, the investment will be used to expand the POLB’s main shipping channel and improve supply chain efficiency. The investment funds will also reportedly be used to help reduce emissions from larger cargo vessels waiting outside the port’s harbor to dock.

According to Congressman Garcia, the funding represents a significant step toward strengthening the port’s long-term efficiency while supporting thousands of jobs tied to international commerce.

“This is a huge win for Long Beach, for our workers, and for people across the country who depend on goods moving through our port every single day,” said Garcia. “I’ve been fighting for this project since my days as mayor of Long Beach, and today we took a major step toward getting it done. This investment will lower costs, prevent cargo delays, and reduce the pollution caused by ships idling outside our harbor. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law.”

The funding announcement arrives as the POLB continues to build on what has been a busy first half of 2026. In a mid-year report, the POLB revealed that cargo volume in the port has reached around 4.83 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first half of 2026, a 1.7% increase in cargo volume from the same period in 2025.

In addition to an increase in cargo volume, port officials have also seen this past June as the busiest June on record, handling around 779,000 TEUs, with imports rising by about 11% compared to previous years. According to the mid-year report, much of that percentage increase was driven by retailers moving cargo ahead of a scheduled July 24 repeal of temporary 10% tariffs, to avoid potential tariff changes or higher transportation costs.

While the funding still requires approval by the full House, Senate and the president, officials such as Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba have stated that the funding demonstrates the importance of continued federal support – not just for seaports across the nation, but for the nation’s role in international trade.

“Ports and the supply chain are vital to our economy, enabling commerce and energizing business activities across the nation,” said Hacegaba. “Federal investment in maritime infrastructure is crucial to bolstering the economic output created by trade, and reauthorizing the Water Resources Development Act is an important step to ensuring we are optimizing America’s trade opportunities.”

Hacegaba continued: “At the Port of Long Beach, we are building the Port of the Future, and this legislation will help us advance key projects, including our Deep Draft Navigation Project that will improve navigational safety, maximize cargo efficiency and strengthen the flow of goods that reach every community in the United States. We are grateful to Rep. Garcia, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and all our federal partners for recognizing that investing in ports like Long Beach builds a stronger, more competitive and resilient national economy.”

The Port of Long Beach’s Channel Deepening Project is expected to officially begin in 2028, with construction taking about three years to complete. For more information on the Port of Long Beach, visit its official website at https://polb.com/.