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but this will double in 2026 and is expected to double again in 2027. We anticipate this will cause congestion issues so we’re working with partners to see how we can increase capacity by looking at new infrastructure for housing people who are waiting for the ferries, as well as new offices for those growing facilities.” She added that a similar issue is being seen with sea- plane terminals and heliports. In another area of focus for the Port, Hais described initiatives related to increasing community engagement. Through participation in the city’s Mayor’s Leaders Team — alongside universities, airports, health author- ities, and school districts — the port is aligning infrastructure planning with these organizations to strengthen funding competitiveness and support long-term regional prosperity. “While typically we would be in competition with these groups for federal and provincial funding, we are working together to create a mas- sive strategic plan that considers what the infrastructure will look like in the future,” Hais said. “For example, infra- structure projects can be multi-faceted — if we’re going to build something at the Port, can another sector benefit and become a partner. And the school district and university are there to help us as we identify our future needs for employment and work on aligning programs so that we are all benefiting from future growth.” Port of Oakland strengthens global ties and advances clean maritime operations Bryan Brandes, Maritime Director for the Port of Oakland marked the Port’s first appearance at an APP Conference as a new member, signa- ling a commitment to deeper collab- oration across the Pacific maritime community. He shared insights into Oakland’s diversified structure and
strategic priorities. (For a more in-depth look at the Port of Oakland, see page 12). The Port of Oakland operates four distinct business units: the airport, commercial real estate, port utilities services and the seaport, for which Brandes is responsible. The Oakland Seaport handles about 2.5 million TEUs annually — smaller than its Southern California counterparts of Los Angeles and Long Beach but closely linked to both operationally. Most ves- sels call at Los Angeles or Long Beach before arriving in Oakland, position- ing the port as a vital second port of call on the U.S. West Coast. This status contributes to one of Oakland’s defining strengths: bal- anced trade flows. Imports largely arrive full, and exports depart full, minimizing empty container reposi- tioning. The port’s export portfolio is heavily agricultural, anchored by California’s Central Valley produce and Midwest proteins, including beef, pork, and poultry that is destined for Asian markets. As a result, Oakland ranks among the largest refrigerated container (reefer) export gateways in the United States. “Being in California, we’re clearly very environmentally focused and we’ve made a lot of progress on that front,” Brandes said, noting that since they began tracking emissions in the 1990s, the Port has reduced key met- rics into the high 90 percent range. Brandes also reported that Oakland has seen significant success with fund- ing through grants, securing nearly $500 million which is leveraged through partnerships with terminal operators as well as trucking operations to transition to low-emission equip- ment. At present, 50 percent of cargo- handling equipment is either electric or hydrogen power. Additionally, 96 percent of vessels now plug into shore power, significantly reducing at-berth emissions.
Bryan Brandes, Port of Oakland
Community engagement has also evolved from reactive to proactive col- laboration, reflecting a broader shift toward partnership and transparency as the Port charts its future growth. A defining year for the Port of Redwood City Commission Chair Stan Maupin reported that the Port of Redwood City saw a record-setting performance balanced with significant commun- ity and infrastructure investments in 2025. A banner year operationally for the Port, the recorded revenue of $10.7 million and handled around two million metric tonnes of cargo. A successful domestic liquid bulk pilot project with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) allowed the Port to clean up some legacy contamination in the Bay and helped to strengthen infra- structure resiliency. The initiative also supports plans to look at an extension of the Marine Highway service into the South Bay region. Maupin further reported that the Port developed and implemented a long-overdue controlled navigational policy and is looking to implement a nature-based living shoreline pilot
March 2026 — PACIFIC PORTS — 33
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