Last month, the Port of San Francisco’s Pier 80 Omni Terminal welcomed the Star Isfjord, which carried the winner of the 2010 America’s Cup.
The trimaran hull of the USA-17, the winner of the 2010 America’s Cup, being unloaded at Pier 80 from the Star Isfjord, which carried the sailboat from Spain to the Port of San Francisco. Photo courtesy of Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
By Patrick Burnson
Published: April 1, 2011
Pier 80, operated by Metro Ports, will serve as the logistical headquarters for Oracle Racing. It’s the only marine terminal in Northern California able to handle containers, breakbulk and heavy lift cargoes simultaneously.
“The Port is thrilled to assist in the logistical needs of the America’s Cup teams,” said Port Executive Director Monique Moyer. “We’re now starting to see the tangible economic benefits that hosting this race will provide.” The Port and City of San Francisco will play host to the 34th America’s Cup races that are scheduled to be held in 2013. Preliminary races will be held in 2012. (Please see our “America’s Cup Corner,” this month on page 9, for monthly updates on the event.)
Metro Ports has been involved with America’s Cup logistics for several years, providing stevedoring to the USA-17 at the ports of Anacortes, Washington and San Diego. Metro Ports is the terminal operator and provides stevedoring services at the Port of San Francisco’s Pier 80.
Grieg Star Shipping, owner of the Star Isfjord, is engaged in breakbulk shipping trades serving North America, the Far East, Europe and South America. The firm is headquartered in Bergen, Norway.
Author Talks America’s Cup Economic Benefits at Luncheon
The featured speaker at last month’s Pacific Transportation Association’s “sports luncheon” was author and sailing evangelist Kimball Livingston, who assured shipping professionals that the 34th America’s Cup will be good for business.
“Larry Ellison built a software empire by being smart, and by being adventurous,” Livingston said. “He won the America’s Cup last February in what we might call a hostile takeover. As it began, there was absolutely no guarantee of success. The man is not risk averse, but in declaring a venue for America’s Cup 34, he is betting for all the players, not just for himself.”
Livingston also noted that this is a historic moment for the America’s Cup: “The defenders propose to create a new competitive regime that, if successful, will become a new tradition with so much force behind it that the next winner will simply have to carry it forward.”
California Exporters Put Great Recession Behind Them
California’s exporters began 2011 by posting their highest-ever export totals for the month of January, according to an analysis by Beacon Economics.
“California’s exporters firmly put the Great Recession behind them in January by racking up their fifteenth consecutive month of strong, year-over-year growth in trade,” said Jock O’Connell, Beacon Economics’ international trade adviser.
In the Bay Area, exported air freight tonnage through San Francisco International was up by 11.9 percent over last January, while outbound loaded container traffic across the Bay at the Port of Oakland rose by 7.6 percent. The outlook for exports is for moderate export growth, according to the Beacon analysis.
“Although a generally weaker dollar helps by making California and other U.S. goods cheaper in foreign markets, austerity budgets in Europe coupled with anti-inflationary measures in China and other fast-growing economies may retard demand for imported products,” O’Connell said. “Still, we’re expecting exports to continue growing through the year.”
USA-17’s 223-foot wingsail mast was removed from the hull for shipping. Photo courtesy of Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
