Port of Oakland night gates will stay open after subsidy ends
Port of Oakland night gates appear here to stay. Oakland’s largest marine terminal said it will continue night operations even after a Port subsidy expires this month. What’s more, Oakland International Container Terminal said it will offer full – not partial - operations at night.
The decision means thousands of harbor truckers can continue moving Oakland cargo outside busier daytime hours. With full operations, they’ll be able to drive off loaded import containers at night for the first time. Import pick-ups, the most time-consuming and labor-intensive terminal activity, had been restricted to dayside operations.
The terminal said it will open night gates to harbor drivers Monday-through Thursday. It introduced night gates two months ago, aided by a $1.5 million Port of Oakland subsidy program.
The terminal said it will assess a $30 flat-fee on all loaded import and export containers once the subsidy ends. The fee will finance the costs of night operations – principally for additional labor, the terminal said. The amount will remain constant regardless of the size of the container. It will be levied on both day and night container moves. The terminal said that it will review the night-gate program – including fees – after 90 days.
The Port said night gates are the most effective antidote to daytime terminal crowding caused by growing cargo volume. It added that expanded night operations may lead motor carriers to eliminate surcharges assessed for waiting at terminals. Those fees are levied on cargo owners but could become outmoded if night gates continue to speed up operations.
About the Port of Oakland:
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.
