On Wednesday, 8 October 2025, a temporary suspension of construction work at one of the terminals located on Pier G in the Port of Long Beach, California, USA was caused after construction workers made a surprising discovery. The discovery, of what was later determined to be a World War II-era shell, was deeply buried in the port.
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The discovery was made near the southern edge of the port complex, where crews had been digging as part of an ongoing construction project in the port complex, according to a news report in the Long Beach Post. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office bomb squad was called in to investigate, and they were aided by a unit from the US Marine Corps, according to the report.
Police evacuated the terminal and set up a safety perimeter. All work was suspended during the investigation.
According to the Long Beach Post the area had once been a US Navy base, which operated from 1919 to 1997, accommodating aircraft carriers, battleships, and other vessels. In later years the port redeveloped the area as it expanded its container operations. The bomb squad reported that it appeared to be a World War II-era shell that had been buried in the complex. They determined that the device was safe to transport, and the US Marine Corps unit moved the device out of the port. Work at the terminal resumed on Wednesday evening.