In nine months, 366-foot cranes will soar 27 feet taller, towering above container vessels at California’s Port of Oakland on the San Francisco Bay.
Work is now under way at the port to heighten four massive ship-to-shore cranes.
The cranes are used to load and unload container vessels, and the increased height will allow for better reach into the highly stacked containers on megaship decks. “This is a commitment to the future of shipping in Oakland,” said John Driscoll, the port’s maritime director. “Vessels are getting bigger and bigger and we’re providing the infrastructure to keep them coming our way.”
The port is raising the cranes at Oakland International Container Terminal in partnership with terminal operator SSA Marine.
Cost of the project is estimated at about $14 million and is part of an effort to boost Oakland’s competitive edge on the West Coast. In tandem, the port will be doubling the size of a nearby marine terminal, constructing a 287,000-square-foot refrigerated port for perishable cargo transport, and developing the first 27 acres of a seaport logistics complex.
