The U.S. Department of Transportation is getting involved in the problems plaguing the Long Beach and Los Angeles Ports.
The agency will open a Long Beach office so federal officials can better assess challenges facing the port and its customers

, according to a DOT announcement last week. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said it was part of what he called the Southern California Gateway Initiative.
The port facilities in Los Angeles and Long Beach combine to handle an average of 15 to16 ships each day, and the ports together move 43 percent of all cargo container traffic destined for the United States.
Mineta said the initiative includes an on-site federal ombudsman who will be located in Long Beach and will monitor conditions at the busy port. The ombudsman will report directly to the Secretary and the U.S. Maritime Administrator.
“A growing U.S. economy has kept the nation’s largest port complex in Southern California busy with ships carrying cargo destined for manufacturers and store shelves across the country. As freight volumes continue to escalate, it is critical that this port complex remain able to keep the nation’s economy moving,” said Deputy Maritime Administrator John Jamian who was also on hand in Long Beach today.
Secretary Mineta indicated that federal involvement will help local stakeholders tap a diverse knowledge base in Washington, D.C. and assist in implementing local solutions.