Friday, October 4, 2019

Oakland Reefer Exports Rise

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Port of Oakland recently reported that refrigerated exports rose by 20 percent in the past year, as it moved 119,756 TEUs from August 2018 through July 2019.The year before, the port handled 99,740 TEUs.

Beef and pork from the US Midwest are the port’s fastest-growing refrigerated export goods, with increases of 45 percent and 38 percent respectively, in the same timeframe.

Over the years, the port has been bolstering its cold chain logistics by creating new distribution capability, expanding operating hours to relieve export container deliveries to be shipped overseas, and putting in hundreds of additional electrical outlets to plug in refrigerated containers waiting to load unto ships.

The port also opened the 283,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center Lineage Cool Port Oakland with Lineage Logistics and Dreisbach Enterprises.

“Our business partners are investing to meet increased overseas demand for US farm goods,” said Port Maritime Director John Driscoll. “When you couple their expertise with our infrastructure, it makes a compelling case for running the transportation cold chain through Oakland.”