The month of June was a record-setter at the Port of Oakland, as it handled the equivalent of 80,253 full 20-foot containers. That broke the previous all-time record of 78,326 containers set in June 2006.
Many California Maritime Academy cadets spend their summer at sea aboard the legendary Golden Bear, a primary training platform where technological skills learned in the classroom are applied. Photo courtesy of Cal Maritime
BY PATRICK BURNSON
Published: August, 2017
The month of June was a record-setter at the Port of Oakland, as it handled the equivalent of 80,253 full 20-foot containers. That broke the previous all-time record of 78,326 containers set in June 2006.
The port said June’s import volume increased 5.1 percent over the same period a year ago. The increase could be a good sign as West Coast ports prepare for peak shipping season. “As we near autumn, retailers begin stocking up for the holidays,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “Healthy volumes now might be a preview of what we can expect for peak season.” Total volume includes imports, exports and empty containers. Export volume rose 2.4 percent.
S.F. Port Settles Dispute
The San Francisco Port Commission has approved a settlement with BAE Systems Ship Repair and associated entities, thereby hoping its actions encourage the port’s shipyard to maintain operations and provide employment opportunities for local workers. After 150 years of continuous operation, the shipyard at Pier 70 shut down last May.
Under the terms of the settlement, BAE will pay the port $4.9 million. The settlement provides revenue to cover upkeep and improvements at the shipyard that will help make the facility more attractive to a new, long-term operator.
“While the legal dispute continues between the port’s former operators, the port appreciates BAE working diligently with the port and San Francisco City Attorney’s Office to reach this settlement, which will help recover operations at the shipyard quickly,” said Executive Director Elaine Forbes of the Port of San Francisco. “The port is grateful for its dedicated labor and development partners that have helped ensure local jobs at the shipyard during this interim period of operations.”
Cal Maritime Training Vessel Getting Navigation Upgrade
Many highly skilled cadets at the California Maritime Academy are currently spending their summer at sea aboard the legendary Golden Bear. This is the primary training platform on which cadets apply technological skills introduced in the classroom and leadership skills acquired from their work assignments and responsibilities.
Academy spokespeople say they are very excited about the new multimillion-dollar navigation laboratory (NAV Lab) being installed on the Golden Bear. Cal Maritime is in the process of providing the NAV Lab with state-of-the-art navigation equipment, and leadership believes this will result in the finest navigation training platform available in the country.
Each summer, cadets in their first and third years depart with licensed faculty officers for two months during their annual training cruise. During these periods at sea, intellectual learning, applied technology and leadership development blend daily as cadets apply what they have learned in the classroom, in the lab and on the waterfront.
Those working toward a license can feel the responsibility of command, demonstrate their effectiveness as leaders, and refine their technical skills and leadership styles. All cadets, whether in the license programs or not, can interact with other countries and cultures to learn about the peoples who are their hosts. They can also experience connections to the larger global maritime environment and develop an understanding of how their selected vocations will function in the context of an international setting. In this way, the cruises enhance the global awareness of cadets as they apply the intellectual and practical training they have received during the school year.
Prologic Commits to Paris Climate Goals
San Francisco-based Prologis recently demonstrated once again why it is a global leader in industrial logistics real estate across the Americas, Europe and Asia. Prologis proudly joined forces with a broad group of governors, mayors, businesses, investors, colleges and universities from across the United States to support actions to protect against climate change. In an open letter to the international community, the group committed to continue to act to ensure the United States remains a global leader in reducing carbon emissions.
According to the letter, the Paris Agreement succeeded where past attempts failed because it allowed each country to set its own targets and define its own strategies for reaching them. The letter’s signatories commit to increasing their efforts to reduce climate change and protect the planet in the years ahead, regardless of Washington’s policies.
Those signing the letter pledged to remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.
Spokespeople stated that “at Prologis, we will continue to develop new facilities to global sustainability standards and upgrade existing buildings to perform more efficiently with LED lighting, cool roofs, low-water solutions and more.” Furthermore, the company pledged to “continue to work tirelessly to minimize our environmental impacts and do all that we can to ensure a better tomorrow.”
Patrick Burnson is the executive editor of Logistics Management www.logisticsmgmt.com
