Long Beach is moving forward with plans for a high-speed ferry network designed to connect beach cities from Malibu to the South Bay. The proposed service, named Pier-to-Pier, aims to provide commuters and visitors with an alternative to navigating the region's congested freeways.
The ferry network would connect seven coastal destinations: Long Beach, San Pedro, Redondo Beach Harbor, Venice Pier, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica Pier, and Malibu Pier. Long Beach officials announced this week that the project has secured an operational partnership with Harbor Breeze, a local maritime operator that will assist in launching and maintaining the ferry network.
"Pier-to-Pier has established an operational partnership with Harbor Breeze, a seasoned Long Beach based California-licensed maritime operator, to support the launch and long-term reliability of its high-speed coastal ferry network," the city stated in a memo. "This partnership also leverages Harbor Breeze’s current position as a commercial tenant in San Pedro and downtown Long Beach at Rainbow Harbor."
Rainbow Harbor is slated to be the initial Long Beach docking point, with potential for additional stops at Belmont Pier and Alamitos Bay. The city has allocated an $8.9 million budget to support two projects focused on building and upgrading Belmont Pier.
Once operational, the ferry network is expected to integrate with other transportation options, including LA Metro lines, Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, LAX shuttle networks, and local coastal shuttles. This development follows the City Council's unanimous decision on April 7 to initiate formal steps for establishing the Pier-to-Pier system.
The project is also seen as a potential transportation solution for the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Ferry travel times are projected to offer significant time savings compared to driving. For instance, a trip from Malibu to Santa Monica, which typically takes over 32 minutes by car, is estimated to take approximately 18 minutes by ferry. Similarly, a drive from Santa Monica to Marina del Rey, estimated at over 25 minutes, could be reduced to about 8 minutes by ferry. Travel between Redondo Beach and San Pedro is estimated to take 20 minutes by ferry, compared to over 45 minutes driving.