Port of Long Beach's $400M Pier Infill Opens Heavy Civil Work for Marine Subcontractors
According to Engineering News-Record, the Port of Long Beach is pushing forward with a $2.4 billion capital program over the next decade, and one of the port’s tenants is independently funding a nearly $400 million project to fill in an unused slip, create 19 acres of new land, and build a 3,400-foot continuous wharf capable of handling two of the world’s largest container ships simultaneously.
Background
The Pier G south slip fill project, funded by terminal tenant International Transportation Service (ITS), is a major demolition, excavation, and concrete paving effort happening in the middle of an active terminal at what ENR describes as the nation’s second-largest seaport. The project is expected to reach completion in late 2027.
When finished, the ITS terminal will have three continuous berths stretching 3,400 feet. Halfton Ross, chief project officer with ITS, told ENR that the change goes well beyond the physical footprint. “Filling up this slip is going to increase our capacity much more than just the physical land. It will optimize our traffic arrangement, our traffic flow,” Ross said. He also noted that although the infill adds only 19 acres to the terminal’s existing 256 total acres, it has the potential to increase overall terminal capacity by up to 50%. The terminal currently handles about 1 million 20-ft equivalent unit (TEU) containers.
The broader port capital program includes on-dock rail capacity expansion, harbor structure upgrades, and a planned dredging effort. Darren Lamberger, former director of construction management for the port, told ENR that the Port of Long Beach has projected it will need to double its overall capacity by 2050, calling the challenge significant given existing constraints.
Analysis
The Pier G project illustrates a dynamic that’s becoming more common at major US ports: tenants taking on capital-heavy infrastructure work independently rather than waiting on port authority budgets. That shifts where the subcontractor opportunity sits. The $400 million is flowing through ITS, not a public agency procurement process, which changes how work is bid, awarded, and managed.
The scale and complexity of the work itself is notable. This isn’t a greenfield marine terminal being built from open water. Crews are demolishing and excavating inside a working slip, in the middle of active cargo operations, at one of the busiest container ports in the country. That kind of constrained marine environment demands specialized subcontractors, tight sequencing, and contractors with documented experience in concurrent marine and landside operations.
The capacity math Ross cited is also worth unpacking. A 19-acre infill representing less than 10% additional land but potentially 50% more terminal throughput tells you this is fundamentally a logistics optimization project, not just a land grab. That means the value isn’t just in the concrete and fill work itself, it’s in the precision with which the new wharf geometry integrates with existing terminal operations. For subcontractors, that translates to tighter tolerances, more coordination requirements, and a client that will measure success in operational outcomes, not just construction milestones.
With the port targeting 100% capacity growth by 2050, this project is likely one of many that will move through the pipeline. The combination of port authority capital spending and tenant-funded improvements means the Long Beach market should remain active for heavy civil marine contractors well beyond the 2027 completion of Pier G.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- The Pier G project is a marine demolition, excavation, and concrete paving job in an active terminal, exactly the kind of work that requires certified marine contractors and confined-space or over-water OSHA compliance documentation.
- Work is tenant-funded through ITS rather than a port authority capital budget, so subcontractors should monitor private terminal procurement channels alongside public agency bid boards.
- The project runs through late 2027, giving subcontractors a defined window to pursue prequalification or teaming arrangements with the general contractor before peak construction phases.
- The port’s stated goal of 100% capacity growth by 2050 signals a long runway of capital projects, making the Port of Long Beach a strategic market for firms with heavy civil marine capabilities to establish a track record now.
- Subcontractors working in active terminal environments should be prepared for phased access restrictions, strict vessel clearance coordination, and operational continuity requirements from the terminal operator.
