TraPac to Require Truckers to Book Appointments at Port of Oakland
A third terminal operator at the Port of Oakland, California, has instituted an appointment system for trucking companies picking up import containers.
TraPac, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, will begin requiring appointments Dec. 6, after similar announcements this year covering the Everport and Oakland International Container terminals. The three terminals handle more than 90% of the containerized cargo moving through Oakland.
“We commend TraPac for taking this step,” Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll said. “It’s not easy introducing new operating procedures, but customers and harbor truckers benefit whenever we can speed up container throughput.”
TraPac said truck dispatchers can make appointments on the port operator’s eModal system. However, truckers won’t need to make appointments to drop off export containers or return empty containers.
The Port of Oakland and TraPac said that the appointment system is necessary to handle traffic from larger vessels from Asia. Last month, the port agreed to a lease allowing TraPac to double its size to handle the additional container volume.
TraPac began an appointment system at the Port of Los Angeles on Aug. 9 using the same eModal system.
The Port of Los Angeles is the largest in North America based on container volume, and Oakland ranks No. 9, according to data from the American Association of Port Authorities.
