Source: Freightwaves
Date: 2nd October 2025

Pier 500 development aims to expand capacity, enhance sustainability, and strengthen long-term supply chain resilience.

The Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s busiest import hub, has announced plans to construct a new container terminal designed to accommodate the world’s largest cargo vessels. Known as the Pier 500 project, the development will include two berths and 3,000 feet of wharf space across 200 acres at the southern end of Terminal Island. The initiative is part of a broader effort to future-proof the port’s infrastructure and meet rising global trade demands.

The port authority has begun seeking proposals for a pre-development agreement to assess the project’s financial feasibility, design, and environmental requirements. The Pier 500 terminal would significantly boost capacity and efficiency, enabling service for next-generation ships exceeding 20,000 TEUs. Officials highlighted that the project will prioritise sustainability and clean operations while generating new employment opportunities in the surrounding communities.

Once completed, Pier 500 will become one of the few major standalone container terminal developments underway in the United States, alongside similar projects in New Orleans and Baltimore. Situated south of Pier 400, currently the largest container terminal in Los Angeles, the site features some of the deepest berths in the country at 55 feet. The project’s full development process, including environmental assessments, is expected to span approximately 10 years, positioning the port to strengthen its competitive edge in handling ultra-large container vessels and growing trade volumes.

For shippers, importers, and exporters, the new terminal promises improved efficiency, greater vessel access, and reduced congestion once operational. Increased berth capacity and deeper channels will allow faster vessel turnaround and more reliable scheduling for global carriers. In the long term, expanded infrastructure could lower logistics costs and provide greater routing flexibility for international trade. However, during the construction phase, temporary adjustments to port operations and traffic flow may pose short-term challenges, requiring close coordination between supply chain partners to maintain continuity in cargo movement.