Port of Oakland Cargo Speed-Up Measures to Begin Rolling Out

Chassis pool in time for peak shipping season, Saturday gates to follow

Oakland, CA - June 26, 2015: Measures to accelerate Port of Oakland trade flows should begin rolling out in time for the peak shipping season. Executive Director Chris Lytle set a third-quarter target here today for the first of three programs designed to move cargo faster. He said others will follow shortly.

“We’re committed to greater efficiency at the Port and better service to our customers,” he told 400 leading exporters at the Agriculture Transportation Coalition annual conference.

Mr. Lytle said a plan to co-mingle truck chassis in a common pool could be operational by mid-September. That would assure a continuous supply of the truck trailers vital to over-the-road container transport. It would come just in time for the annual cargo spike that precedes holiday retail sales.

The chassis pool is one of three programs designed to get cargo in and out of Oakland faster. Mr. Lytle updated his audience of agricultural shippers on the others:

• A filing will go to Federal Maritime Commission review next week for commencement of weekly Saturday operations in Oakland. Review is expected to take 45 days. The Port expects to begin operations shortly after the Commission completes its work. Saturday operations would spread cargo movement over six days and ease weekday peak-period demand.
• The Port will receive commercial bids next week to open an off-dock container facility in California’s Central Valley. The yard would be located near most of the state’s largest growers. It would enable agricultural exporters to pick up empty containers and chassis without driving all the way to Oakland. The round-trip drive for truckers can be up to 200 miles and take more than three hours. The depot is expected to open by mid-September.

Within 18 months, Mr. Lytle said the Port plans to open a new agricultural storage and transloading depot in Oakland. It will enable exporters to send bulk grain shipments via rail to the Port. From there, grain can be transferred to containers for delivery overseas.

Mr. Lytle added that waterfront employers and union officials have agreed to enlarge Oakland’s longshore labor force. An additional 500 dockworkers will be enrolled immediately, he said. The move addresses recent labor shortages at marine terminals.