Port of Long Beach (USA) Climate Adaptation and Coastal Resiliency Plan (PIANC, 2020)(POLB, 2016)

The Port of Long Beach (POLB) is one of the United States’ largest and most economically significant seaports, supporting regional industries and serving as a key gateway for global trade. With sea levels rising (SLR) and extreme storms expected to intensify, the port faces increasing exposure to coastal flooding, storm surge, extreme heat, and operational disruptions. In August 2014, Hurricane Marie damaged the Navy Mole and Pier F and breached the Middle Breakwater in three locations (POLB, 2016).

To address these growing risks, POLB developed a comprehensive Climate Adaptation and Coastal Resiliency Plan (CRP) in 2016. The CRP builds on the best available climate science, detailed asset inventories, and inundation modeling to assess how climate stressors will affect port infrastructure and operations throughout this century. The plan serves as a long-term decision-making framework, ensuring future investments, infrastructure design, and operational planning incorporate climate resilience.

The CRP evaluated inundation under three sea level scenarios of 16, 36 and 55 inches (about 41, 91 and 140 centimeters) with a 100-year storm surge; the plan notes these scenarios were not selected to correspond to specific time horizons (POLB, 2016). The mapping is intended to help the port target adaptation investment where disruption or damage would matter most.

While climate adaptation measures may require substantial capital investment, they are intended to reduce the risk of revenue losses from cargo delays, facility closures and damage to infrastructure, with benefits for tenants and surrounding communities.