Tuesday, September 10, 2013

San Diego Terminal Improvement Project Complete

The cargo ship M/V Fidelio, operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, has become the first vessel to visit the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal since the facility underwent $3 million in capital improvements.

On Aug. 23, 2013, the vessel offloaded three 100-megawatt generators, each weighing 160 tons. The generators were destined for a Southern California power plant.

The renovation included the demolition of transit sheds and warehouses that were originally built to accommodate cargo that moved on pallets and required covered storage, like newspaper and cotton.

The port says it invested in the project to provide more flexible berthing and to improve its ability to handle specialty cargo that requires large space for storage and staging. Demolition began in February 2013 and was completed in August.

The end result was an additional 58,000 square feet of open space at the terminal, allowing for easier offloading of cargo for either temporary storage or direct transit by truck or rail.

The 96-acre Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, which has a maximum channel depth of 43 feet, is a multi-purpose eight-berth facility. Inbound cargo includes refrigerated commodities, fertilizer, cement, breakbulk commodities, and forest products. The terminal features a 300,000 square foot cold storage facility that warehouses fresh produce and other perishables.