PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Los Angeles
Pilot
updated Apr 2021- Los Angeles Pilot boards33°41.7′N 118°14.5′W
- Los Angeles Deep Draft Pilot boards33°39.0′N 118°13.2′W
All vessels 300GT and over, and all foreign vessels leaving, entering, or shifting within the Port of Los Angeles are subject to pilotage.
Requests for pilots should be sent through the agent. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port should be informed of the vessel's ETA 24 hours in advance and establish VHF contact not less than 1 hour in advance of arrival. Pilots require at least 2 hours notice of ETA at the pilot boarding position.
Vessels should not enter Los Angeles Pilot Area unless proceeding to or from the Main Channel.
All foreign vessels and all vessels over 300GT are subject to pilotage. Request pilot at least two hours in advance by telephone or VHF Ch 14. Pilots are based at Berth No 68 and maintain round the clock pilotage.
VLCC's and other deep draught vessels awaiting a pilot in the area 3nm SE of the Los Angeles Light should keep well clear of an obstruction, with a least depth of 18.0m over it, 0.2nm WSW of the Pilot boarding position. The area is further restricted by a designated fish haven, centred 2nm SE of the entrance.
Note: Contact Pilot Office for details of the movements of tankers and bulk-carriers in the Main Channel to berths 45-50 (33°42.9'N 118°16.4'W).
Radar advisory information is supplied, from the Pilot Station Radar, only if a pilot is onboard.
Vessels arriving from the W may experience poor VHF reception between Point Vicente and Point Fermin.
Key data
updated Apr 2021Size limits
Draught 15.0m, LOA 400m, beam 61.15m, 228,149DWT.
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
North Pacific Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Mar 1 to June 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, Summer Jul 1 to Oct 31 and Dec 1 to Feb 28/29.
Tides
Range 2.7m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| APM Terminals Los Angeles | 15.00 m | 400 m | 6 |
| Fenix Marine Services Terminal | 14.60 m | 400 m | 5 |
| China Shipping Container Terminal (WBCT) | 14.00 m | 366 m | 2 |
| Everport Container Terminal | 13.50 m | 369 m | 11 |
| Yusen Container Terminal | 13.50 m | 350 m | 12 |
| TraPac Container Terminal | 13.30 m | 336 m | 5 |
| Vopak Terminal Los Angeles | 13.00 m | 250 m | 2 |
| Pasha Terminal I (Slip 5) | 12.80 m | 213 m | 8 |
| Yang Ming Marine Transport (WBCT) | 11.90 m | 312 m | 7 |
| Valero - Wilmington Terminal | — | 259 m | 1 |
| Shell - Mormon Island Marine Facility | 11.32 m | 259 m | 2 |
| Rio Tinto - Wilmington Operations | — | 200 m | 2 |
| World Cruise Centre (Inner Harbour) | — | 333 m | 5 |
| SA Recycling Terminal | — | 225 m | 1 |
| Torrance Logistics Co. South Western Marine Terminal | 10.30 m | 229 m | 4 |
All 22 terminals
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasha Stevedoring Terminal (Slip 1) | 9.90 m | 190 m | 3 |
| POLA Container Terminal | 9.90 m | 225 m | 4 |
| ConocoPhillips | 9.90 m | 350 m | 2 |
| Kinder Morgan - Carson Terminal | 9.70 m | 244 m | 3 |
| SSA Pacific - Outer Harbour | 8.80 m | 294 m | 2 |
| Automobile Terminal | 8.70 m | 211 m | 6 |
| USCG - LA | — | — | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Apr 2021Approach
The approach channel has a maintained depth of 24.6m. The harbour is enclosed by a curved breakwater, length 3,399m, its NE extension creates an entrance opening of 609m width.
The Port's Main Channel, West Basin Channel and East Basin Channel have been dredged to a depth of 16.1m.
Glen Anderson Ship Channel leads NW through the breakwater entrance towards Main Channel for approx 0.7nm; there it divides into:
Super Tanker Channel: Leading WSW to a turning basin off the entrance to East Channel, depth 16.15m.
Pier 300 & Pier 400 entrance channel: Leading NE to new Container basin, entrance depth 24.6m.
Main Channel: Leading N to Inner Harbour Turning Basin, then through East Basin Channel and Cerritos Channel which connects with Long Beach Harbour.
The Main Channel is 1.5nm in length, width 305m, with depth recently increased to 16.15m up to and including West Basin. The turning basin, located N of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, has a diameter of 488m and a depth of 16.1m.
The East Basin Channel has a width of 198m at the southern end and 228m upon approaching the East Basin, depth of 16.1m in channel and turning basin.
The West Basin extends westerly from the turning basin and features a circumference of 3,587m of onshore cargo handling area.
Traffic schemes and VTS
San Pedro Sector:
Speed should be 12kts or less upon entering and transmitting the Precautionary Area.
A minimum vessel separation of 0.25nm is required in the Precautionary Area.
Anchorages
At anchorages inside the breakwater, minimum UKC is 0.46m. For shifts via the outer harbour between Long Beach and Los Angeles, the minimum UKC is 0.91m.
When vessels are at anchor, a 24 hour bridge watch should be kept by an English speaking qualified Deck Officer on VHF Ch16. Notice should be given at least 15 minutes before heaving anchor or getting underway.
Outside Federal breakwaters, any vessel using an anchorage must advise their intentions to VTS on VHF Ch14 and receive clearance to do so. Inside Federal breakwaters, all anchorages are managed and monitored by Long Beach and/or Los Angeles Pilot Station.
Restrictions
CERRITOS CHANNEL DRAWBRIDGES: Consolidated Requirements (The USCG has consolidated the requirements for drawbridge operations, including Cerritos Channel, as contained in Code 33 of Federal Regulations, Part 117).
Special operational measures for commercial vessels have been established between the harbour entrance and No 9 Lightbuoy. Outbound vessels will have priority and vessels will avoid meeting at the entrance to the channel. Over taking will be avoided and the VTIS shall implement one way traffic as needed.
Vessels transiting W inside the Middle Breakwater shall not cross ahead of or impede the passage of a vessel that is in the main channel or entering harbour. Speed limits are 6kts for large laden tankers, and 7kts or dead slow ahead (which ever is greater) for all other vessels.
Cruise Ship Security Zones: Security zones exist for all cruise ships within the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, out to 3nm from the federal breakwaters, as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations. Vessels may not enter into, transit or anchor within the security zone unless authorized by the COTP. The following separation distances are required around all cruise ships:
100 yard radius around the cruise ship while it is anchored, moored, or in the process of mooring,
200 yards ahead, and 100 yards on each side and astern of a cruise ship that is underway San Pedro Bay Regulated Navigation Area.
The Code of Federal Regulations establishes a Regulated Navigation Area for San Pedro Bay which prohibits any vessel from entering the pilot operating areas unless they are entering/departing through the respective gate (Queens or Angles Gate). Vessels are further prohibited from stopping or loitering in the area unless they are transiting a vessel pilot. The pilot operating areas are prominently displayed on nautical charts.
A voluntary speed reduction programme was introduced on May 1, 2001 for the approaches to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that will reduce commercial ship speeds to 12kts in an area of radius 20nm based on Point Fermin.
UKC Tankers: All tankers without double hulls require 10% of the vessel's deepest draught, min 0.6m UKC, in good weather between LA Sea Buoy and Main channel Buoy No11, in the channel between Main channel Buoy No11 and position off designated berth min UKC is 0.46m.
Tugs
Approx 23 tugs are available for use by the port; between 14.2t and 815 (Bollard Pull) and 1,610HP and 6,850 HP.
Charts and publications
BA 1081, 1063, 4910. Admiralty Pilot NP8, NP286(5).
US 18749, 18751, 18746. US Coast Pilot 7.
Inspections
Port State Control here: US Coast Guard.
Foreign ships are examined by the US Coast Guard. File the Advance Notice of Arrival 96 hours ahead (33 CFR 160).
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: United States Coast Guard, Office of Compliance. Address: 2100 Second St, SW, Washington DC, 20593, USA. Tel: +1 202 267 2978. Fax: +1 202 267 4858. Email: [email protected]. For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www2.imo.org/ISPSCode.
Port services
updated Feb 2026Repairs
There are four other shipbuilding/ship repair facilities with varying specialities and vessel handling capabilities, ranging from recreational, commercial and Naval vessels up to length 76m.
Divers are available from Coast Diving Services Inc, Tel: +1 310 547 0955.
Dry docks
The main drydock is 170m in length and 34m in width and can accommodate vessels up to 22,000t.
Bunkers, water and stores
Bunkering: There are a number of companies offering bunkering services.
Fresh water: Available.
Stores: Available.
Medical
San Pedro Peninsula Hospital.
Transport
Nearest airport: Long Beach Airport, 24km. Los Angeles International Airport, 30km.
Nearest railway: Los Angeles: Southern Pacific Transportation Co, Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co and Union Pacific Railroad Co.
Working hours
Throughout 24 hours.
About Los Angeles
updated Sep 2026Where it is
The port area of Los Angeles is situated on the West coast of California, USA, immediately adjacent to, and West of, the port of Long Beach and facing San Pedro Channel.
The port
The port of Los Angeles occupies approx 3,000ha of land and water area, encompasses 56km of waterfront and is one of the world's largest man made harbours. Diversified facilities for handling any kind of cargo are available. Besides state of the art container terminals, the port has bulk, break bulk, warehouse and automobile handling facilities, as well as the modern World Cruise Centre.
In 2020, the top five containerised imports were furniture, auto parts, apparel, electronics and plastic, and the top five containerised exports included animal feed, paper products, soybeans, scrap metal and fabrics. Some of the top five trading partners were China (mainland), Japan, Vietnam and South Korea.
Traffic
Approx 220,000,000t of cargo, 10,300,000TEU, 1,800 vessel and 1,100,000 passengers handled annually.
Questions about Los Angeles
Where does the pilot board at Los Angeles?
The pilot boards at Los Angeles, 33°41.7′N 118°14.5′W. Los Angeles has 2 pilot boarding places.
What time zone is Los Angeles in?
Local time at Los Angeles is UTC−8. Clocks go to UTC−7 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−8 on 7 Nov 2027.
What is the maximum draft at Los Angeles?
The deepest berth listed is at APM Terminals Los Angeles: 15.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Los Angeles?
1025.
Which load line zone is Los Angeles in?
North Pacific Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Mar 1 to June 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, Summer Jul 1 to Oct 31 and Dec 1 to Feb 28/29.
Who carries out Port State Control at Los Angeles?
Port State Control at Los Angeles: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Los Angeles?
The UN/LOCODE of Los Angeles is USLAX.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Los Angeles say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.
A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.