For Immediate Release
April 22, 2002

Port of Oakland Delegation Departs for Asian Trade Mission

Commissioner Phil Tagami, President of Oakland's Board of Port Commissioners, is leading a trade delegation through Asia to visit ocean carrier customers serving the transpacific market. "Our message to the transportation industry is simple," declared President Tagami, "We are building and improving our maritime facilities to accommodate the needs of our customers, and enable cargo to move more efficiently through our port."

"Oakland is now completing its extensive Vision 2000 construction, and offers a complete package of ocean, rail, and highway connections to link our Asian trading partners with the United States. We offer a very competitive range of ocean carriers, rail carriers, facilities and services necessary for Oakland to compete with other West Coast ports".

Executive Director Tay Yoshitani detailed the enhancements stating, "The last twelve months have seen tremendous changes at the Port including the opening of the completely renovated Union Pacific railyard last May, the new 120 acre Hanjin Terminal which opened last June, and the transition of the Joint Intermodal Terminal to Burlington Northern Santa Fe's new Oakland International Gateway (OIG) at the Port in March." Yoshitani said, "Over the next six months the momentum we've developed will continue with the delivery of six more super-Panamax class cranes for the opening of the new 150 acre SSA Terminal facility this August."

Oakland continues to look to the future. The Army Corps of Engineers initiated the start of the Port of Oakland's Harbor Navigation Improvement Project last October, which will ultimately deepen the Port's two main channels to minus 50 feet. This five-year project will ensure that Oakland remains competitive as an international cargo gateway.

"The dream that was Vision 2000 has become the reality of today," concluded President Tagami. "Oakland has added over 1,000,000 TEUs of annual cargo capacity and more than doubled the intermodal capacity at Oakland. With its marine facilities, land connections, technology and services, the Port of Oakland remains an important gateway for containerized cargoes".

The Port of Oakland, celebrating its 75th anniversary, is the fourth largest containerport in the country. Established in 1927 as an independent department of the City of Oakland, the Port spans 19 miles of waterfront and more than 900 acres of maritime terminal facilities. Port facilities include 10 major container terminals covering approximately 5765 acres; the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, which covers an area of over 2,500 acres; more than 1,000 acres of commercial, industrial, recreational, and other land; 950 acres of underdeveloped land; and about 9,700 surface acres of water area.

Contact:
Marilyn Sandifur
Media - Public Relations Manager
(510) 627-1193
msandifur@portoakland.com

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