By Los Angeles Customs Broker · Import & Customs Guides
Ask most people to name the busiest port in America and they will say Los Angeles. They are half right. The Port of LA and the Port of Long Beach are neighbors, and together they form the San Pedro Bay complex, the largest container gateway in the Western Hemisphere.
Two Ports, One Complex
The Port of Los Angeles is the single busiest container port in the country; the Port of Long Beach is second. They share the same bay, the same freeway and rail network, and much of the same drayage market. For an importer, they function as one enormous gateway rather than two separate choices.
Why Your Cargo Might Land at Either
Which port your container arrives at depends on your carrier and their terminal agreements, and vessels are sometimes rerouted between the two. That is exactly why working with a broker who clears both ports matters: your filing and drayage are handled no matter where the box lands.
What It Means for Clearance
Each terminal, whether on the LA or Long Beach side, runs its own appointment system and free-time rules. The clearance fundamentals are the same: file your ISF and entry ahead of arrival, post the right bond, and coordinate drayage before the container is available. We handle all of it across both ports.