Port Opens 25-Acre Gateway Facility

In an effort to capitalize on its recent success, the Port of Hueneme officially increased its size by 50% Tuesday with the addition of a new agricultural and automotive storage area.

In a ceremony attended by port, city and county officials, the Oxnard Harbor District dedicated the 25-acre International Agricultural Gateway as a way for the port to grow and compete in the 21st century.

“We’ve grown so much that we had to expand,” said Harbor Commission President Michael Plisky. “And without this new terminal, we might have lost some of our customers.”

Essentially just a large parking lot with electrical hookups, the facility will allow the port to increase its export and import capacity, officials said. Port officials plan to use the new facility to store automobiles and refrigerated cargo containers.

The facility also includes three large tanks that have been leased by a European manufacturer that will begin importing and storing liquid fertilizers.

The new site will be used by Sunkist Growers, Del Monte Fresh Produce and Bonita bananas to ship their products to Asian and South American markets.

Port officials estimate that the gateway will create an additional 250 jobs and generate more than $100 million a year.

Tuesday’s dedication caps a year of success for the port. For the first time in its 61-year history, the port cleared more than 1 million tons of cargo and contributed more than $300 million to the Ventura County economy.

“This is really just the beginning for the Port of Hueneme,” Plisky said. “We’re very proud of this project and think it will be a model for the entire country.”