Oakland, CA–July 12, 2010 – Port of Oakland and APL officials and staff celebrated the APL Oakland inaugural visit to the Port of Oakland with a ceremony and luncheon on Monday, July 12, 2010 (The vessel first arrived Sunday July 11).

APL’s history here goes back to the Gold Rush, more than 160 years ago when its predecessor company, Pacific Mail, helped connect the U.S. East Coast with the new West, long before the Pony Express or Trans-continental Railroad. It was a historic accomplishment when, several years later in 1867, APL inaugurated trans-Pacific trade with regular service to Yokohama, Japan and Hong Kong, China.

Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar R. Benjamin said, “In many ways, APL has helped put Oakland on the global map, and with the highest volume count of any carrier at the Port, helped us become the third-busiest container port on the U.S. West Coast, the fifth-busiest in the United States, and among the top 50 in the world.” Benjamin added, “That is why we are honored and delighted that APL chose to name one of its vessels in its global fleet after our global city, Oakland.”

APL Oakland sails on the PCE (Pacific Coast Express) service lane. The port rotation is as follows: Dalian, Xingang, and Qingdao (China); Yokohama, Japan; Los Angeles/Long Beach and Oakland, CA; then back to Dalian. APL (http://www.apl.com/) has been consistently recognized by its customers for outstanding service, as evidenced by APL winning the “Carrier of the Year” award, two years running by the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. The Port of Oakland has long been a premier export seaport for agricultural goods due to its proximity to California’s bountiful Central Valley and the wine country.

Port Commissioner Margaret Gordon, a third-generation West Oakland resident, presented a commemorative plaque to APL’s Nathaniel “Than” Seeds, Vice President of Operations in The Americas for APL on Monday July 12, 2010. The plaque was in recognition of those who have made Global Gateway Central (APL terminal at Oakland) such an outstanding and productive terminal, and for their continued support in the success of the Port of Oakland. The day before, Sunday, July 11, 2010, the Port presented a commemorative plaque to the Captain of the APL Oakland in honor of the vessel’s first visit to Port of Oakland, CA.

APL Oakland: Capacity of 4,730 *TEUs; **Deadweight capacity of 56,464 metric tons

*TEU - Container sizes are measured by an international standard called a TEU or Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. Containers vary in size (20 ft., 40 ft., 53 ft. etc.), but the most common container size is 40 feet in length or two TEUs.

**Deadweight capacity refers to the total carrying capacity of a ship or a displacement of a fully loaded ship not including the weight of the ship itself.

About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport, offering over 140 daily flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Please visit: www.portofoakland.com.

Media Contacts:

Marilyn Sandifur, Port Spokesperson
Port of Oakland Spokesperson
(510) 627-1193
Click here to contact Marilyn Sandifur