Port of San Diego - History

History

The San Diego Unified Port District was created in 1962 after the California State legislature passed Senate Bill 41 and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors certified it. The citizens, in 1964, approved a $10.9 million bond for capital improvements. Improvements included the development of a new air terminal, preparation for Harbor Island to be leased, and construction of a new cargo terminal in National City. In 1970, the first cruise ship to offer scheduled cruises out of San Diego, since the creation of the Port, began making 10-day trips to Mexico. In 1980, the Port in an effort to improve the ecological balance of the Bay completed a wildlife refuge in Chula Vista. In 1983, The San Diego Cruise Industry Consortium was formed to promote San Diego as a cruise destination and homeport. Then just three years later the B Street Pier Cruise Ship Terminal was officially dedicated. That same year, over 26,000 passengers embarked and disembarked at the terminal. In 1989, the Port-funded, $165 million, waterfront San Diego Convention Center opened. In 1990, the Pasha Group began importing vehicles (Isuzus) at the National City Marine Terminal. A total of 15,589 vehicle units were imported the first year. Pasha now imports over 400,000 vehicles annually. In 1993, the Port and Tenth Avenue Cold Storage Company celebrated the grand opening of San Diego's first on-dock cold storage facility, built for $11 million, at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. In 2001, the Board of Port Commissioners announced a major 20-year lease with Dole Food Company. This signified the Port's entry into the refrigerated containerized cargo market. Dole ships 1.8 billion pounds of bananas annually.