[ Port of Oakland Begins $600 Millon Expansion ]

Following years of planning, discussion and public meetings, the Port
of Oakland is poised to initiate over $600 million in improvement and
construction projects beginning in 1998. “The paperwork is done”, sa
id Ray Boyle Oakland’s acting director of maritime, “and the time ha
s come to build.”
During a November visit to Asia, Port of Oakland staff members Ray Boy
le and Dan Westerlin, manager strategic marketing, met with ocean carr
iers and media representatives to brief them on the current status and
plans for Oakland, the United States’ fourth largest containerport.
In September of this year, Oakland received a 50-year lease on 528 acr
es(213.5 hectares) of former Navy property in the heart of the marine
terminal area, more than doubling the Port area and offering extraordi
nary expansion potential. Oakland will utilize this property in accomp
lishing the Vision 2000 projects of dredging, terminal expansion and r
ail infrastructure improvements.
“The three elements of the Vision 2000 program mutually support and s
trengthen each other, Each is important in the success of the others.
” stated Mr. Boyle.
Oakland, a naturally shallow-water port, has sponsored a series of dre
dging projects for well over 100 years, with the first dredging of the
channel dating back to 1859. The current and eighth dredging project
will reduce Oakland’s draft to -42’(-12.8 meters) by early 1998. Oak
land is now planning the next dredging project to -50’(-15.25 meters)
MLLW, with actual dredging scheduled to begin in late 1999. “-50’ b
erths and channels will serve the world’s largest containerships, and
the even bigger vessels now being planned safely 24 hours a day and s
even days a week.” according to Mr. Boyle.
Rail infrastructure is also vital to the Port of Oakland’s future as
an estimated 50% of the total 8 million TEUs moving each year through
the U.S. West Coast are intermodal cargoes. “Oakland must improve its
intermodal facilities and increase its intermodal marketshare to rema
in competitive.” said Mr. Boyle.
“The Phase 1 Joint Intermodal Terminal(JIT) will open at the end of 1
998”, said Mr. Boyle, “and will give the Burlinton Northern Santa Fe
Railroad direct access in the Port of Oakland for the first time.” S
tarting small with two tracks and 40 acres(16.2 hectares), the JIT wil
l grow with the market requirements to an a total of 250 acres (101.1
hectares) at the facility.
The final element of the Vision 2000 projects is an aggressive marine
terminal construction project along Oakland’s Middle Harbor. “Hanjin
Shipping Company has been given first right of refusal to Oakland’s
next marine terminal,” stated Mr. Boyle, “and we’d like to open tha
t facility for them in the Fall of 1999.” This new facility would con
solidate the operations of the TriCon partners, Hanjin Shipping Compan
y, Cho Yang Line and DSR-Senator Lines in a new built to order termina
l of up to 130 acres(52.6 hectares). “We continue to make progress on
this terminal, and hope to conclude negotiations with Hanjin in early
1998.”
“These three projects provide both short-term improvements, and set t
he stage for long-range development in Oakland. The stage is set, and
we’re ready to begin. The next few years are going to be very excitin
g in Oakland.”