The Port of Los Angeles announced it has signed an agreement with the city of Shafter and The Wonderful Company to promote more two-way trade connections throughout California’s Central Valley.
The Memorandum of Agreement focuses on bringing more exports through the port and its terminals, officials said. As part of the agreement, the Wonderful Logistics Center will add a new international rail terminal which will include a dedicated shuttle train running between the San Pedro Bay port complex and Shafter. The shuttle train will increase efficiency and capacity, while delivering environmental benefits, the organizations said.
“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, and the Port of Los Angeles stands ready to help,” Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka said. “This agreement represents our commitment to support faster and more efficient service to and from the Central Valley right to our terminals and to markets across the world.”
The agreement includes a pledge to promote sustainable and efficient two-way domestic and international trade connections between Wonderful Logistics and the Port, as well as conducting exporter outreach in the Central Valley, strategizing on ways to develop mutually beneficial business opportunities, collaborating with supply chain stakeholders on the partnership benefits to the state and national economy, and sharing best practices on goods movement workforce training.
The Wonderful Company is located along the BNSF rail mainline in Shafter and includes a logistics hubs and container depot that already serves multiple Fortune 100 companies like Ross, Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
“Our partnership with the Port of Los Angeles marks a significant evolution in the supply chain, enhancing cargo velocity and enabling California’s farmers to become more competitive and agile in the global marketplace,” Wonderful’s vice president of logistics Sepehr Matinifar said.