Port of Oakland maritime officials are forecasting a five-year run of record cargo volume beginning next year.
By 2022, the port expects to handle the equivalent of 2.6m 20ft containers annually – 8 per cent more volume than the port has ever processed in a single year.
The figures appear in a Strategic Maritime Roadmap released by the port this month. The blueprint for the future foresees increased cargo volume arriving at Oakland on larger ships.
Northern California’s booming freight market will drive the growth, the port said, with new logistics capabilities, such as distribution centres and freight transfer facilities, providing a further boost.
“We’re serving a thriving area and developing new services for our customers,” pointed out Oakland’s maritime director, John Driscoll. “The combination should be positive for everyone who relies on the port for their business or their job.”
The port’s Roadmap forecasts record volume of more than 2.4m cargo containers in 2018. The current record is 2.39m set three years ago.
