Pier 400 Development: The Port of Los Angeles

The 7,500 acre Port of Los Angeles is a major U.S. West Coast gateway for international commerce. Along its 35 miles of waterfront, the Port of Los Angeles has 28 major facilities specializing in automobile, breakbulk and containerized dry and liquid bulk cargo operations. This abstract includes some of the geotechnical challenges associated with the planning and design of the Pier 400 Mega-Container Terminal and the Transportation Corridor providing the infrastructures to the terminal. The Pier 400 container terminal is designed and constructed in two phases. Phase I comprises 343 acres including 4,000 feet of wharf, backland, terminal buildings and intermodal rail facility. Phase I included construction of the entire transportation corridor consisting of highway, rail and utilities. Phase II comprises an additional 141 acres including 3,190 feet of wharf, remaining backland and terminal buildings. The 484-acre Pier 400 container terminal is the world's largest proprietary container terminal. The facility features: Water depth of - 55 feet mllw at the wharf; 22 wide 100-foot gauge cranes; Up to 18 ship to shore cranes; 4 unit train loading yard (96–305 feet cars); 6 unit train storage yard (126–305 cars); and Gate complex & various terminal buildings.