From Volkswagens to Lamborghinis, National City Marine Terminal Has an Import for Every Budget

Port of San Diego nearing top spot for auto imports on the West Coast

The sleek, aerodynamic lines and the roar of the 580 horsepower engine of the Lamborghini Gallardo catch

your attention for a fleeting moment as it whizzes by on the freeway. Burr walnut trim and hand-sewn glovesoft leather adorn the interior of the regal Bentley Continental parked in front of the trendy restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. An environmentally friendly Honda hybrid passesa gas station, seemingly unfazed by the posted per-gallon prices. What do these three scenarios have in common? They all feature automobiles that were imported to the Port of San Diego’s National City Marine Terminal.

About 375,000 vehicles were imported through the terminal in calendar year 2006 and by 2008, the Port of San Diego anticipates that number to be over 500,000. The automobiles arrive by both rail and vessel and are

processed by Pasha Automotive Services, which operates a 137-acre facility at the National City Marine Terminal. In addition to the luxury vehicles like the Lamborghinis, which arrive by ocean from Italy, and the Bentleys, which come from the United Kingdom, the Port of San Diego also imports Lotuses and Porsche automobiles.
Volkswagens, Audis, Hondas, Acuras, Mitsubishis and Izuzu trucks also account for a large number of vehicle imports. Each car-carrying vessel that arrives has an average of 2,025 automobiles. Some shipments have brought

as many as 4,200 cars.

A recently awarded, six-year contract from Mazda will help push the Port of San Diego to the front spot of auto importers on the West Coast. The Japanese automaker shifted its auto import business from Port Hueneme in October 2006 to San Diego, which will bring 100,000 vehicles per year to the National City Marine Terminal.

Once the vehicles arrive at the terminal, some remain at the Pasha warehouse to receive extras such as navigational systems, compact disc changers and emissions labels. The cars remain on the lots for about 24 to 72 hours, after
which they are trucked to auto dealers throughout California and the Southwestern states. Many are also transported by rail to Texas. Cars aren’t just coming in to the National City Marine Terminal, they are being exported, along with heavy equipment trucks, buses, various types of trailers, airplane parts, machinery and project cargo. American-made automobiles by Chrysler and General Motors are being sent to countries in Asia, with a large number of Cadillacs being exported to Taiwan and Korea.

The increase in vehicle imports helped increase the Port’s overall maritime cargo tonnage to 2,887,540 metric

tons in calendar year 2006 – a 6% increase over the previous year. The Port’s maritime revenue increased

by 28% to $37 million dollars in calendar year 2006.

The Port of San Diego is a public benefit corporation and special government entity. Created in 1963 by an act of the California legislature, the Port manages San Diego harbor and administers the public lands along San Diego Bay. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities – Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego.

With an $8.4 billion economic impact on the San Diego region, the Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 16 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, a Harbor Police department and the leases of over 600 tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.