Oakland awarded US$50m for upgrades

This funding will enable the port to upgrade its facilities to accommodate the ultra large container vessels, which are increasingly common among shipping fleets calling on West Coast ports.

These vessels, capable of handling up to 24,000 teu, have previously been limited by ageing wharves initially designed for smaller ships.

“We thank the US Maritime Administration for this funding that will assist to modernise our Outer Harbor wharf to better accommodate the safe and efficient movement of ultra large ships that call at Oakland,” said Port of Oakland maritime director Bryan Brandes.

“It is essential that we upgrade infrastructure because the Oakland Seaport is a critical artery for commerce in Northern California.”

The project, which carries a total cost of US$66 million, will see the port improved through wharf strengthening, structural repairs, the replacement of container crane rails, the addition of support piles and strengthening of support beams, and the replacement of the electrical bus bar system.

This initiative is part of the port’s ongoing efforts to modernise its infrastructure and transition to zero-emissions operations.