Port of Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is one of the most important container ports in the United States and a major U.S. West Coast gateway for transpacific trade. Located in Southern California on San Pedro Bay, next to the Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach serves importers, exporters, freight forwarders, retailers, manufacturers, eCommerce businesses, customs brokers, transloaders, warehouses, and inland distribution networks across the United States.
The port is especially important for containerized imports, consumer goods, electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, machinery, automotive parts, food products, refrigerated cargo, industrial goods, retail inventory, eCommerce stock, and commercial freight. Its UN/LOCODE is commonly listed as USLGB.
Together with the neighboring Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach forms one of the largest container gateway complexes in North America. The port supports international container services, intermodal rail, truck drayage, customs clearance, warehousing, transloading, distribution, and inland cargo movement across California, the U.S. Southwest, the Midwest, and other inland markets.
Port of Long Beach Overview
| Port Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Port name | Port of Long Beach |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Southern California / U.S. West Coast / San Pedro Bay |
| UN/LOCODE | USLGB |
| Port type | Seaport / deep-water port / container port / intermodal gateway |
| Main port authority | City of Long Beach Harbor Department / Port of Long Beach |
| Main terminal areas | Long Beach Container Terminal, Pier A, Pier C, Pier E, Pier F, Pier G, Pier J, Pier T, International Transportation Service, SSA Terminals, Total Terminals International, and related San Pedro Bay terminal areas |
| Main cargo focus | Containers, consumer goods, electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, machinery, automotive parts, food products, refrigerated cargo, retail inventory |
| Main terminal types | Container terminals, intermodal rail facilities, breakbulk facilities, liquid bulk facilities, dry bulk facilities, reefer facilities, warehousing and logistics facilities |
| Cargo types | Containers, consumer goods, electronics, machinery, automotive parts, furniture, apparel, footwear, food products, refrigerated cargo, industrial goods |
| Suitable for | Importers, exporters, freight forwarders, retailers, manufacturers, eCommerce businesses, distributors, customs brokers, transloaders, inland logistics providers |
Why Ship Through the Port of Long Beach?
The Port of Long Beach is strategically located on the U.S. West Coast, making it a key gateway for cargo moving between Asia and North America. Its location is especially useful for importers and exporters connected to China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Latin America, and inland U.S. markets.
For importers, Long Beach provides access to Los Angeles County, Orange County, the Inland Empire, Southern California warehouses, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, the Midwest, and wider U.S. distribution networks through trucking, rail, warehousing, and transloading. For exporters, the port supports cargo moving from U.S. agricultural producers, manufacturers, food exporters, industrial suppliers, recycling exporters, and commercial businesses to overseas markets.
The port is especially relevant for businesses shipping containers, retail goods, consumer products, electronics, furniture, automotive parts, apparel, footwear, machinery, food products, refrigerated goods, eCommerce inventory, and general commercial cargo.
Container Shipping Through Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is primarily a container port and handles large volumes of international containerized cargo. Its container terminals support import containers, export containers, empty container repositioning, intermodal rail cargo, truck drayage, transloading, and inland distribution.
Businesses use Long Beach for:
- Import containers into the United States
- Export containers from the United States
- Full container load shipments
- Less than container load shipments
- Retail and consumer goods cargo
- eCommerce inventory and marketplace seller cargo
- Electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, machinery, automotive parts, and food products
- Refrigerated cargo moving in reefer containers
- Transloading cargo into domestic trucks or rail containers
- Inland distribution to California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, the Midwest, and other U.S. regions
- Cargo moving to or from Long Beach, Los Angeles, Carson, Torrance, Commerce, Vernon, Ontario, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fontana, and the Inland Empire
- Shipments connected to East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Oceania, Latin America, Europe, and other global markets
- Cargo connecting through ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Qingdao, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Yantian, Nansha, Hong Kong, Busan, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kaohsiung, Singapore, Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo, Jebel Ali, Manzanillo, Balboa, Callao, Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Hamburg, and Valencia
For larger shipments, FCL shipping is usually suitable when cargo can fill a 20ft or 40ft container. For smaller shipments, LCL shipping allows businesses to move partial container loads without paying for a full container.
Long Beach Freight Rates
Freight Shipping Cost from & to Long Beach for a 20-foot Container
Port Capacity and Terminal Infrastructure
The Port of Long Beach has extensive container terminal infrastructure, including deep-water berths, large ship-to-shore cranes, container yards, gate systems, reefer points, on-dock rail, near-dock rail, truck access, intermodal facilities, chassis operations, customs processes, warehousing connections, and cargo visibility systems.
The port’s infrastructure supports:
- Container handling
- Import and export container flows
- FCL and LCL cargo
- Large container vessel calls
- Transpacific services
- Intermodal rail cargo
- Truck drayage and local delivery
- Transloading and warehousing
- Refrigerated container operations
- Consumer goods imports
- Electronics and machinery cargo
- Apparel, footwear, furniture, and retail inventory
- Food products and temperature-sensitive cargo
- Automotive parts and industrial goods
- Empty container repositioning
- Yard and gate operations
- Customs and inspection procedures
- Cargo connections to Southern California warehouses and inland U.S. markets
- Distribution through the Inland Empire, Los Angeles Basin, U.S. Southwest, Midwest, and wider North America
This infrastructure makes Long Beach suitable for high-volume containerized freight, Asia-U.S. imports, U.S. exports, retail supply chains, eCommerce logistics, refrigerated cargo, intermodal rail movements, transloading, and domestic distribution.
Main Cargo Handled Through Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach handles a wide range of containerized cargo, including consumer goods, furniture, electronics, apparel, footwear, automotive parts, machinery, food products, refrigerated goods, industrial inputs, retail inventory, eCommerce goods, and general commercial freight.
| Cargo Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Containerized imports | Consumer goods, furniture, apparel, footwear, electronics, machinery, automotive parts, retail inventory |
| Containerized exports | Agricultural goods, food products, machinery, industrial products, recycled materials, chemicals, commercial cargo |
| Retail cargo | Store inventory, seasonal merchandise, household goods, consumer products, packaged goods |
| eCommerce cargo | Marketplace inventory, fulfillment stock, consumer goods, small goods consolidated into freight shipments |
| Electronics cargo | Consumer electronics, components, appliances, accessories, electrical equipment |
| Furniture and home goods | Furniture, lighting, décor, kitchenware, household products, lifestyle goods |
| Apparel and footwear | Garments, shoes, textiles, accessories, bags, fashion inventory |
| Machinery cargo | Industrial equipment, spare parts, factory machinery, tools, production equipment |
| Automotive cargo | Auto parts, accessories, components, replacement parts, vehicle-related products |
| Food and beverage cargo | Packaged food, beverages, frozen food, chilled food, agricultural goods |
| Refrigerated cargo | Frozen goods, chilled products, seafood, meat, fruit, vegetables, temperature-sensitive cargo |
| Industrial goods | Components, raw materials, parts, plastics, chemicals where permitted, manufacturing inputs |
Long Beach is especially relevant for shippers that need access to Southern California distribution networks, Asia-U.S. container services, intermodal rail, warehousing, transloading, customs brokerage, and inland U.S. delivery.
Shipping to Long Beach United States
Importers ship cargo to Long Beach from East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Oceania, Latin America, Europe, and other global trade regions.
Common imports to Long Beach and the U.S. market include:
- Consumer goods and retail inventory
- Electronics and components
- Furniture and home goods
- Apparel and footwear
- Machinery and spare parts
- Automotive parts
- Toys and seasonal goods
- Kitchenware and household products
- Packaging materials
- Food products and beverages
- Frozen and chilled goods
- eCommerce inventory
- Construction materials
- Industrial inputs
- General cargo
- Commercial freight
When shipping to Long Beach, importers should compare total landed cost rather than only the ocean freight rate. Total landed cost may include origin charges, sea freight, destination charges, U.S. customs duty, merchandise processing fees, harbor maintenance fees where applicable, customs broker fees, terminal handling, documentation fees, chassis fees, storage, demurrage, detention, drayage, transloading, rail or truck delivery, inspection fees, and cargo insurance.
Use the iContainers ocean freight calculator to estimate shipping costs and compare available freight options.
Shipping From Long Beach United States
Exporters use Long Beach for cargo moving from California, the U.S. West Coast, inland U.S. states, agricultural regions, warehouses, manufacturers, distribution centers, and commercial suppliers to East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Latin America, Europe, and other international markets.
Common export cargo from Long Beach includes:
- Agricultural products
- Food products
- Beverages
- Recycled materials
- Paper and pulp products
- Machinery and spare parts
- Industrial equipment
- Chemicals and plastic products where permitted
- Automotive parts
- Consumer goods
- Retail merchandise
- Refrigerated cargo
- General containerized freight
- Commercial goods
- Project-related industrial cargo
For exporters, the best shipping option depends on cargo volume, commodity type, destination, Incoterm, carrier service, terminal cut-off, equipment availability, export documentation, inland pickup location, inspection requirements, and required transit time.
FCL is usually more efficient for larger commercial volumes, while LCL can work well for smaller shipments, samples, cartons, pallets, and partial container loads.
FCL vs LCL Shipping Through Long Beach United States
| Shipping Option | Best For | Main Advantage | Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCL shipping | Full 20ft or 40ft container loads | Dedicated container and fewer cargo touchpoints | Best when shipment volume justifies a full container |
| LCL shipping | Smaller shipments, cartons, pallets, samples, partial loads | Pay only for the space used | May involve consolidation or deconsolidation through Long Beach, Los Angeles, Singapore, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, or another hub |
| Reefer container | Food products, frozen goods, chilled goods, seafood, meat, fruit, pharmaceuticals where permitted | Maintains controlled temperature during transit | Requires reefer equipment, plug availability, temperature settings, and correct documents |
| General cargo shipping | Consumer goods, machinery, electronics, furniture, apparel, retail goods | Flexible for standard commercial freight | Requires accurate packing, labeling, documentation, and cargo details |
| Retail import cargo | Store inventory, seasonal products, consumer goods, home goods | Strong fit for Southern California distribution and inland U.S. delivery | Requires planning for peak season, drayage, warehousing, and delivery appointments |
| eCommerce inventory | Marketplace sellers, online retailers, fulfillment stock | Supports bulk movement into U.S. fulfillment networks | Requires clear product descriptions, customs data, and landed cost planning |
| Intermodal cargo | Containers moving by rail to inland U.S. markets | Useful for long-distance U.S. distribution | Requires rail availability, routing coordination, and inland delivery planning |
| Transloaded cargo | Ocean containers unloaded into domestic trucks or rail containers | Can improve domestic distribution flexibility | Adds handling, warehouse, appointment, and inventory coordination |
| Export cargo | U.S. goods moving to overseas buyers | Supports agricultural, industrial, and commercial exports | Requires export documentation, cut-off planning, and carrier schedule coordination |
For shippers comparing route options, iContainers’ transit time calculator can help estimate shipping times before booking.
Customs Clearance at Long Beach and the United States
Cargo imported or exported through Long Beach must comply with U.S. customs and border requirements. Importers, exporters, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and logistics providers should prepare accurate shipment data before cargo arrival or departure, including product descriptions, HS codes, customs value, country of origin, shipper details, consignee details, importer of record information, exporter information, and supporting documentation.
Commercial imports into the United States commonly require a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or sea waybill, customs entry, importer security filing where applicable, classification details, country of origin, customs value, and any product-specific permits or certificates. U.S. importers should also review whether their products are subject to partner government agency requirements, anti-dumping or countervailing duties, tariffs, quotas, food safety rules, consumer product rules, or other regulatory controls.
Regulated goods such as food products, agricultural goods, medical devices, cosmetics, electronics, batteries, chemicals, vehicles, textiles, children’s products, timber products, plants, animals, hazardous cargo, and restricted items may require additional permits, inspections, testing, product registration, certificates, safety documentation, or agency authorization.
For more general guidance, read iContainers’ guide to customs clearance.
Documents Needed for Shipping Through Long Beach United States
Most commercial ocean freight shipments to or from Long Beach require:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or sea waybill
- Customs entry documentation
- HS code or HTS classification
- Importer of record details, when importing into the United States
- Exporter details, when exporting from the United States
- Consignee and shipper details
- Country of origin details
- Customs value details
- Importer security filing, when applicable
- Arrival notice
- Delivery order or cargo release documents
- Certificate of origin, when required
- Preferential origin certificate, when claiming preferential tariff treatment
- Import license or export license, when applicable
- Partner government agency documents, when applicable
- Food safety documents, when applicable
- FDA prior notice or FDA-related documents, when applicable
- USDA, APHIS, EPA, CPSC, DOT, or other agency documentation, when applicable
- Inspection certificate, when applicable
- Insurance certificate, when applicable
- Dangerous goods declaration, when applicable
- Safety data sheet, for chemicals or hazardous cargo
- Battery documentation, when applicable
- Product conformity or safety documents, when applicable
- Customs broker authorization or power of attorney, when using a customs broker
- Inland transport documents, when cargo moves by truck, rail, warehouse transfer, transloading facility, or final delivery
Documentation should be complete and consistent before cargo arrival or departure. Incorrect HS codes, incomplete cargo descriptions, missing importer details, inaccurate invoices, missing agency permits, late filings, inconsistent consignee information, or unclear cargo values can delay customs clearance and increase costs.
Common Shipping Routes for Long Beach United States
Long Beach connects the U.S. West Coast and inland U.S. markets with East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Oceania, Latin America, Europe, and other global trade regions through direct services, feeder services, rail, trucking, transloading, warehousing, and inland logistics networks.
| Trade Lane | Common Cargo |
|---|---|
| East Asia to Long Beach | Electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, consumer goods, machinery, automotive parts, retail inventory |
| Southeast Asia to Long Beach | Furniture, apparel, footwear, consumer goods, electronics, food products, eCommerce inventory |
| Indian Subcontinent to Long Beach | Textiles, apparel, food products, machinery, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals where permitted |
| Oceania to Long Beach | Food products, beverages, agricultural goods, refrigerated cargo, machinery, consumer goods |
| Latin America to Long Beach | Food products, agricultural goods, refrigerated cargo, consumer goods, raw materials |
| Europe to Long Beach | Machinery, industrial goods, food products, beverages, automotive parts, technology products |
| Long Beach to East Asia | Agricultural products, food products, recycled materials, machinery, industrial goods, commercial cargo |
| Long Beach to Southeast Asia | Food products, machinery, industrial products, consumer goods, export cargo |
| Long Beach to Oceania | Machinery, consumer goods, food products, commercial freight, retail cargo |
| Long Beach to Latin America | Consumer goods, machinery, industrial products, food products, commercial cargo |
| Long Beach to Europe | Machinery, industrial cargo, food products, commercial goods, refrigerated cargo |
| Long Beach intermodal routes | Containers moving by rail or truck to inland U.S. destinations such as Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, Memphis, and other logistics hubs |
Routing may involve direct ocean services, feeder services, trucking, rail, inland delivery, transloading, or transshipment through Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle-Tacoma, Vancouver, Manzanillo, Balboa, Callao, Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Qingdao, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Yantian, Nansha, Hong Kong, Busan, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kaohsiung, Singapore, Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo, Jebel Ali, Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Hamburg, Valencia, and other hubs depending on carrier schedule, cargo type, and final destination.
When Should You Use Long Beach Instead of Another U.S. Port?
Long Beach can be suitable when:
- The cargo origin or destination is in Southern California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Inland Empire, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, or nearby U.S. regions
- The shipment is connected to transpacific trade, especially Asia-U.S. import flows
- The cargo is containerized and suitable for FCL or LCL shipping
- The shipment involves consumer goods, electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, machinery, automotive parts, food products, refrigerated cargo, retail inventory, or eCommerce inventory
- The cargo needs access to Southern California warehouses, fulfillment centers, transloading facilities, or intermodal rail
- Inland delivery is more efficient through Long Beach than through Oakland, Seattle-Tacoma, Houston, Savannah, New York/New Jersey, or another U.S. gateway
- Carrier schedule, equipment availability, terminal cut-off, and total landed cost are better through Long Beach
Another U.S. port may be more suitable when cargo is closer to a different inland destination or when a specific service, rail corridor, terminal, or trucking route offers better landed cost. Los Angeles may be practical for similar Southern California cargo depending on carrier service and terminal choice. Oakland may be better for Northern California cargo. Seattle-Tacoma may be better for the Pacific Northwest. Houston may be better for Texas and Gulf cargo. Savannah or Charleston may be better for the U.S. Southeast. New York/New Jersey may be better for the U.S. Northeast.
The right port choice should be based on total landed cost, sailing schedule, inland distance, drayage cost, rail availability, warehouse location, customs requirements, cargo type, equipment availability, terminal capability, storage needs, transloading needs, service frequency, and required delivery date.
How to Get an Ocean Freight Quote for Long Beach United States
To get a freight quote to or from Long Beach, prepare the following details:
- Origin and destination
- Port-to-port, door-to-port, port-to-door, or door-to-door requirement
- Cargo weight and dimensions
- Number of pallets, cartons, boxes, or containers
- FCL, LCL, reefer, general cargo, hazardous cargo, retail cargo, eCommerce cargo, intermodal cargo, transloaded cargo, or export cargo preference
- Commodity description and HS code or HTS code, if available
- Cargo ready date
- Incoterm
- Importer of record or exporter details
- Customs clearance requirements
- Import license, export license, or partner government agency requirements, if applicable
- Final pickup or delivery address, if needed
- Inland movement requirement, such as drayage, trucking, rail, transloading, warehouse delivery, fulfillment center delivery, or inland rail ramp delivery
- Special handling requirements, such as reefer cargo, hazardous cargo, lithium batteries, food products, temperature control, customs inspection, high-value cargo, oversized cargo, or appointment delivery
- Preferred carrier, terminal, trucking provider, rail provider, customs broker, warehouse, transload facility, inland ramp, or distribution center, if already specified
With iContainers, businesses can compare ocean freight options online, review available rates, and manage international shipments through a digital booking process.
FAQ About the Port of Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California, on San Pedro Bay in Southern California, next to the Port of Los Angeles.
The UN/LOCODE commonly used for Long Beach is USLGB.
Common cargo includes consumer goods, electronics, furniture, apparel, footwear, machinery, automotive parts, food products, refrigerated cargo, retail inventory, eCommerce goods, and general commercial freight.
The Port of Long Beach serves Southern California, the U.S. West Coast, inland U.S. distribution networks, and global trade lanes connected to Asia, Latin America, Oceania, Europe, and other regions.
Long Beach and Los Angeles serve the same San Pedro Bay gateway, so the best choice often depends on carrier service, terminal assignment, equipment availability, cut-off times, drayage cost, warehouse location, and total landed cost.
Yes. Long Beach is commonly used for inland U.S. distribution through trucking, transloading, warehousing, and intermodal rail services connected to Southern California and inland U.S. markets.
Yes. Long Beach is one of the leading container ports in the United States and a major gateway for Asia-U.S. trade.