Port Developing as Key Asset

The Port of Hueneme, long a bright star in Ventura County’s economic firmament, just got a little brighter as yet another auto maker began importing its cars by way of the port’s bustling wharves.

Sweden’s Saab has joined Germany’s BMW, England’s Jaguar and Land Rover, Sweden’s Volvo, and Japan’s Daewoo, Mitsubishi and Suzuki in offloading cars at Hueneme and loading them onto trucks for distribution across the west.

Saab expects to import 7,000 cars a year here, pushing the port’s imports to a record 223,000 cars a year. In the past, Saab imported through its East Coast ports, then shipped west by truck or train.

Saab’s decision to use the Port of Hueneme is part of an agreement reached with Pacific Vehicle Processors, which will handle the inspection and final preparation of Saab imports for sale. The company expects to add about 20 employees to handle the processing.

The Port of Hueneme is the only deep-water port between Los Angeles and San Francisco. In recent years, it has grabbed a larger share of foreign trade by carving a niche in non-container traffic such as cars, fruits and vegetables. The major impediment to its continued growth has been space.

If a pending deal with the Navy is approved, the port would be allowed to use one of the Navy’s wharves, offering more cargo capacity and attracting more customers. Local Navy commanders have blessed that arrangement, but it still needs final approval from the secretary of the Navy.

Also, in September, port officials bought the so-called Sunkist site, a 14.1-acre lot next to the port named for its historic use as a citrus packing plant, for $3.9 million. Together, the two properties would increase the port’s available area by more than a third, from 100 acres to 137.

Congratulations to the managers of the Port of Hueneme for making the most of every square foot. By finding niche customers and aggressively recruiting them, they have turned a relatively small port into a big asset for Ventura County.