Port of LA to boost trade connections with California’s Central Valley

The Port of Los Angeles has signed an agreement with the city of Shafter and The Wonderful Company to boost two-way trade connections between Southern and Central California, POLA officials announced on Thursday, June 26.

The key component of this agreement is the Wonderful Logistics Center, “a 3,400-acre, master-planned industrial development owned by The Wonderful Company,” port officials said. It is along the BNSF rail mainline in Shafter, about 130 miles north of Los Angeles, near Bakersfield. The logistics hub and container depot serves Fortune 100 companies such as Ross, Amazon, Target and Walmart, among others.

The BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in the United States.

“Both The Wonderful Company and the city of Shafter have a well-planned vision for creating jobs and promoting economic growth in the Central Valley,” POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement, “and the Port of Los Angeles stands ready to help.”

In the agreement, both partners pledged to promote sustainable and efficient two-way domestic and international trade connections, conduct exporter outreach in the Central Valley, work on business opportunities, and share best practices on goods movement workforce training and development.

Wonderful Vice President of Logistics Sepehr Matinifar said in a statement that the partnership “marks a significant evolution in the supply chain.” It will also help California’s farmers become more “competitive and agile” in the global market.

The Wonderful Company — one of the largest agriculture, real estate and consumer packaged goods companies in the U.S. — is expected to add a new international rail terminal at its shipping center. It is slated to open next year.

The project aims to establish a dedicated shuttle train running between the San Pedro Bay port complex and Shafter. It is also expected to bring nearby housing, job training and other community benefits.