Port of Los Angeles
San Pedro is home to America's busiest container port, immediately adjacent to the Port of Long Beach
Located 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles in San Pedro, the Port of Los Angeles isn’t just the number one shipping container port in the United States – it’s the busiest seaport in North America and the entire Western Hemisphere. While shipping volume is down a little from 2021’s historic high of 10.7 million cargo container-equivalent units, it still moves more products than the nearby, second-busiest Port of Long Beach. That includes over 157,000 automobiles, plus furniture, clothing, and electronics, with China as the largest shipper by far.
The Port of Los Angeles is also the starting and ending point for hundreds of cruises each year: In 2023 alone, it hosted 1.3 million cruise passengers – the highest number on record. It’s also one of three ferry locations to and from Catalina Island, which is located 22 miles off the coast.
If you’re interested in seeing the massive ships, cargo containers, cranes, and amazing infrastructure for youtself, Tours of the Port are available for a fee from Harbor Breeze Cruises. Free tours are offered to school groups during part of the year, and members of general public on at least one day per year. A retail shopping, dining, art, and dog-friendly destination, West Harbor, is currently under construction at the Port, and expected to open in 2025.