The Port of Los Angeles is located in San Pedro Bay, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, California. The complex occupies 7500 acres of land and water along 35 miles of waterfront. It is ranked as the busiest port in America, and is the 8th busiest seaport in the world. Record volumes of cargo move through the harbor, with 80 shipping lines housed there and just under 3,000 vessel arrivals in 2001.

Established in 1907, the Port itself is a major reason for the remarkable cargo volumes. Its 30 world-class facilities and solid infrastructure maximize the one-stop shopping concept of cargo transportation and delivery favored by most shipping lines. Ocean carriers can send the majority of their West Coast cargo to Los Angeles using the Port's modern cargo terminals and efficient train/truck intermodal network. The Port employs 259,000 people in Southern California.

Its strong performance is attributed to a solid U.S. economy and the recovering Asian economies with a renewed manufacturing demand for American exports. The port's top trading partners are China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Its major imports are furniture, toys, apparel and computer equipment. Besides trade, the Port is also the 4th busiest for cruise traffic in the United States.