Responding to requests from the public, the Port of San Diego will be offering four free public bus tours of its cargo facilities in the second half of 2018. The first one is scheduled for Wednesday, July 25, 2018. The tours are a follow-up to the popular Maritime Month public bus tours that were held throughout the month of May.

The purpose of the bus tours is to educate the public about the importance of the Port’s maritime business, which provides nearly 13,000 direct jobs on the waterfront and $2.7 billion in direct economic impact to the region.

On the tours, guests will have a rare opportunity to have a behind-the-scenes look at the National City Marine Terminal, where Port tenant Pasha Automotive Services imports and processes approximately 420,000 vehicles a year. Following the National City Marine Terminal, the tour then proceeds to the Port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, passing Naval Base San Diego, General Dynamics/NASSCO, BAE San Diego Ship Repair and Continental Maritime.

At the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, participants will learn about the Port’s $24 million modernization project which will improve operations at the 96-acre facility, help the Port attract new business and ultimately improve the air quality around the terminal. They will also learn about the many different cargos that are imported there, such as 4.8 billion bananas a year from Dole Food Company, steel used in local shipbuilding, windmill components, bauxite, soda ash, fertilizer and fuel.

“The Port’s Maritime businesses employ thousands of residents and generate billions of dollars per year for the regional economy,” said Rafael Castellanos, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. “By providing these free tours, it allows us to engage the public and provides them with an opportunity to learn more about their port.”

The scheduled tour dates are Wednesday, July 25, 2018; Wednesday, August 22, 2018; Wednesday, October 24, 2018 and Wednesday, November 14, 2018. All tours begin at Pepper Park, located at 3299 Tidelands Avenue, National City. Free parking is available in the park. Additional public bus tours may be scheduled for 2019.

To sign up for a tour, go to portofsandiego.org/port-tours.