​Funding for green development

The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will be used to add cargo transport capacity and improve operational efficiencies at the port’s Outer Harbor.

“This grant is of vital importance to help us modernize and transform the Port of Oakland’s operations to zero-emissions. It is a down-payment on the next generation of goods movement technology at the Port of Oakland.”

Infrastructure investment

The grant is part of a US$94 million federal investment in California ports and is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, investing US$40 billion in infrastructure projects over the next five years.

Oakland’s grant will deliver projects that address electrification, emissions reductions and port congestion. It allows the Port of Oakland to make investments to accommodate near-term supply chain uncertainties, surges in imports, exports, and refrigerated cargo and install green energy infrastructure.

The transformation from fossil fuels to clean energy is at the heart of the Port of Oakland’s efforts to improve seaport capacity with zero-emissions operations. A cornerstone of the plan is to use clean electricity to power battery electric mobile equipment and provide green power to refrigerated containers.

Other projects will include new high-mast LED lighting and densify container storage and staging capability for great efficiency.

The Port of Oakland’s Outer Harbor is an approximately 120-acre container shipping wharf and marine terminal that became inactive due in part to aging infrastructure and outdated equipment.

This grant will provide the initial investment to reactivate the terminal capacity by installing green energy infrastructure and using zero-emissions technology.