For Immediate Release
March 23, 2000

Port Of Oakland, City Of Alameda And Bay Ship & Yacht Reach Agreements On Harbor Turning Basin
Event on March 24 Celebrates Signed Agreements

OAKLAND, CALIF. --After more than two years of discussions and negotiations, the Port of Oakland, the City of Alameda and Bay Ship & Yacht have reached agreements that will provide for safe navigation on the Oakland harbor while keeping Alameda whole. To mark the occasion, a ceremony will take place on Friday, March 24, aboard the Potomac (formerly Franklin D. Roosevelt's floating "White House") at the FDR Pier in Jack London Square, from 9:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The ceremony will include a tour of the proposed site for the new Oakland Inner Harbor Turning Basin as well as an up-close view of the Port's Vision 2000 project. Vision 2000, an expansion program that includes deepening the port's navigational channels to -50 ft., construction of a joint intermodal terminal and building new shipping mega-terminals, will cost just over $1 billion.

"We are very happy to have reached agreements on these two very critical components of our harbor deepening project," commented John Loh, president, Board of Port Commissioners. "I believe this collaboration is a 'win-win' for all parties."

One agreement allows for the Port to widen the current turning basin on the Oakland Inner Harbor to 1,500 feet from the current 1,200 feet. Widening the turning basin is a critical component of the Port's $252 million project to deepen the Oakland Inner Harbor to -50 ft., a project needed to accommodate the latest generation of container vessel.

In order to widen the turning basin, the Port agreed to assist Bay Ship & Yacht in consolidating and relocating its current vessel repair operations to the west of and adjacent to the new turning basin. The Port also agreed to compensate Bay Ship & Yacht by building the company new facilities at its new location. Bay Ship & Yacht is currently located at the turning basin on the Alameda side.

"This is a cooperative agreement that will provide economic benefit not only for the cities of Alameda and Oakland, but for Bay Ship & Yacht and the entire region as well," commented Ralph Appezzato, mayor, City of Alameda. "Also, the agreement will enhance future development of Alameda Point. I couldn't be more pleased and want to thank Alameda City staff and the City and Port of Oakland."

"We're happy with the agreement," remarked Cris Kraft, chief engineer, Bay Ship & Yacht. "It allows us to stay in business in Alameda and results in improved facilities for tugs, barges, ferries, and medium-size vessels."

The second agreement among the City of Alameda, the Port and East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) involves the relocation of an existing force main (sewer line) that currently runs from Alameda, across the Inner Harbor and then through Port property.

The proposed new location for the force main will be along the Alameda side of the Inner Harbor and will then cross over in the vicinity of Alice Street in Oakland.

The realignment of the sanitary sewer force main will provide the City of Alameda with required capacity for sanitary sewage.

"As a result of this agreement, we'll have additional flexibility to plan shutdowns for maintenance, repair or replacement of two other existing sewer lines in the future," said Jimi Yoloye, Senior Civil Engineer, EBMUD. Additionally, the seismically resistant crossing will provide some measure of disaster contingency protection in the event that one or both of the existing older lines experience damage during a major earthquake.

The Port of Oakland, established in 1927, is an independent department of the City of Oakland employing some 560 people. The Port extends approximately 19 miles along the east side of the Oakland Estuary from the border of the city of Emeryville immediately north of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, to the south to the border of the city of San Leandro. Port facilities include four major marine terminal areas covering almost 1,000 acres; Oakland International Airport which covers an area of over 2,500 acres; 1,100 acres of commercial, industrial, recreational and other land; 950 acres of underdeveloped land; and about 9,800 surface acres of water area.

Contact:
Debbie Girard
(510) 627-1187
dgirard@portoakland.com

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