Sea level rise conference

Port of Oakland executive director Danny Wan delivered the welcoming remarks at The Storms, Flooding and Sea Level Defense Conference, held at The Propeller Club of Northern California.

“The Port of Oakland as well as all California ports are literally on the frontline of mitigating the effects on sea level rise, not just on our seaport but also on our neighbouring communities,” said Danny Wan.

Also present was Joost de Nooijer, project engineer at the Port of Rotterdam, who shared the Netherlands’ strategies to combat climate change and rising sea levels. Ninety per cent of the City of Rotterdam is below sea level, making their port particularly susceptible to the impacts of rising waters.

The Port of Oakland faces unique coastal challenges to defend against storm surge and sea level rise. Projects currently under way include:

• A new study on sea level rise and ground water intrusion
• The Oakland International Airport Perimeter Dyke improvement project to extend the dyke crest’s life to 2050
• Advanced modelling of the airport’s North Field to better protect against flooding
• Working with neighbouring cities to cooperate on studies, projects and funding to address flooding and sea level rise.