Port of Oakland’s TraPac Wraps Up USD 67 Mn Upgrade

Port of Oakland’s container terminal operator, TraPac, concluded a USD 67 million waterfront expansion in January 2019 as it opened a new vessel berth to arriving container ships.

The 2-year project at Oakland’s second-largest terminal nearly doubled TraPac’s footprint from 66 to 123 acres, boosted its fleet of ship-to-shore cranes from four to seven, and added a third 1,400-foot-long dock for berthing mega container ships.

TraPac officially began its new era in Oakland this month when the container vessel Bay Bridge tied up at Berth 25. The ship moored in Oakland’s Outer Harbor near the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge.

The expansion is the latest in a series of investments at the Port of Oakland. Last November, Lineage Logistics and Dreisbach Enterprises opened Cool Port Oakland, a USD 90 million refrigerated distribution center. Last June, Oakland International Container Terminal completed a USD 14 million project to heighten four cranes. TraPac has said it would raise two cranes, as well.

“It’s gratifying to see tenants investing in Oakland’s future,” John Driscoll, Port Maritime Director, said.

TraPac handles about 15 percent of the containerized cargo moving through Oakland, much of it is refrigerated cargo destined for Japan. The terminal operator said that during expansion, it increased plug-in spaces for storing refrigerated containers from 388 to 860.

As part of its buildout, TraPac last summer opened a new gate complex for harbor truck drivers. It also purchased nine new pieces of cargo-handling equipment to lift containers.

TraPac signed a 14-year-lease with the port in 2016 as a precursor to its expansion.