Building a Future Ready Supply Chain

by Maria Salinas

The Los Angeles region is America's gateway to the world and much of that is due to the San Pedro Bay Port Complex. The Complex, consisting of our Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles, is essential to goods movement throughout the U.S. The complex managed 29% of the nation’s imported or exported waterborne containers and 75% of the West Coast’s market share. At our World Trade Week Southern California Conference, we heard keynote speaker General Stephen Lyons (U.S. Army Retired), Port and Supply Chain Envoy to the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, who discussed the importance of the Los Angeles regions' ports, and how integral they are for our nation’s economy.

This year’s World Trade Week Conference focused on Building a Future Ready Supply Chain. The strength of the goods movement sector in Southern California is a critical element to the success of our economy. The featured panel explored every element of the “system of systems” from cargo carriers, transportation from trucking and rail, to the role of retailers and warehousing. All elements of this complex system are dependent on coordination from both the public and private sectors to ensure that goods move and ultimately reach consumers.

Gene Seroka, Executive Director, of the Port of Los Angeles was recognized with the Stanley T. Olafson award for a distinguished career in international trade. He commented that, “the San Pedro Bay Port Complex — the largest and most important port complex for global trade — is building the next generation of shipping technologies to improve the infrastructure and technology, making them more strategic to key stakeholders.”

With innovation, coordination, and a workforce prepared for the jobs of the future, Los Angeles is strengthening the systems to meet global demands. The Chamber’s World Trade Week Southern California Conference highlighted the importance of Building a Future Ready Supply Chain.