Port Of Hueneme – Agriculture

The Port That Farmers Built

The Port of Hueneme, “The Port that Farmers Built,” provides California’s Central Coast agricultural industry with an ocean link to the global market, consistently ranking among the top 3 U.S. ports for bananas. The West Coast’s leader for bananas, Port customers import over 600,000 tons on over 156 vessels annually. Chiquita & Del Monte import more than 30 million boxes of bananas annually, with a market value of $885 million. The Port of Hueneme is a founding member of the Pacific Agribusiness Alliance, the California central coast region’s premier agricultural trade organization, and works with the Ventura County Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business (CoLAB).

Top US Hub for Cool Cargoes

The Port handles both break bulk and containerized fresh produce through refrigerated ocean carriers such as Norbulk and Cool Carriers. The Port processes containerized chilled and frozen cargoes through dedicated on-dock yards, including 256,000 square feet of on-dock refrigerated transit building space. Additional space is available at a nearby 900,000+ square foot temperature controlled facility, transload operations for Chiquita and Del Monte.

Download the Journey of the Bananas

Cold Chain Is Our Business

In 1978, Del Monte began a weekly import of bananas and tropical fruit cargo, remaining the Port’s longest-term customer. In 1995, the Del Monte U.S. Western Distribution Center opened. The Center is one of the most modern on-dock refrigerated facilities in NAFTA, and is the second on-dock reefer facility to be constructed at the Port. A 53,000 square foot expansion was completed in 2005, bringing the total of refrigerated space to 83,000 square feet.

We Know How To Treat Your Fruit Cargo

The Port is actively pursuing completion of a state-of-the-art ECU (Ecological Compliance Unit) to treat imported fruit. This latest Control Technology has been successfully tested along California’s Central Coast and Florida’s East Coast. In California, the USDA & APHIS have certified the system and unit. After passing
all of the required testing, operating permits were granted and issued by the California Air Resource Board.

We Keep Your Cargo Safe and Secure

Safety and security take top priority at the Port. It offers the VACIS high tech inspection system for all cargo departing from the port — at no extra charge. Also included are free X-rays by CBP. All cargo is scanned for radiation signatures at no cost (at gate) allow for timely inspections.