City Panel Gives Tentative OK to Shipyard Lease

A Los Angeles City Council committee has tentatively approved a new lease with the largest commercial shipyard on Terminal Island, but not without harsh words for the Harbor Department’s handling of the agreement.

The proposed 10-year lease with Southwest Marine Inc. drew criticism from the council’s Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources Committee because the agreement has been in negotiations since 1986 and falls short of the 20-year lease sought by the shipyard.

Harbor-area Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores, who chairs the committee, said she was particularly sensitive to Southwest Marine’s position, because it is the last large shipyard in the harbor.