A 5,800-foot rail expansion at the Port of Stockton, which could help double the port’s exports of iron ore and coal, is scheduled to open March 9.
The new tracks, which were added to east port interchange tracks, form a loop to enable inbound and outbound trains to operate without interfering with operations at the port’s east complex class yard.
The Port of Stockton currently handles three trains of export iron ore per week. It and the San Francisco Bay’s Port of Richmond are currently the only ports on the U.S. West Coast that handle export iron ore. Richmond handles two trains.
The extension’s expected to enable Stockton to begin receiving three more bulk unit trains of iron ore or coal per week, increasing the weekly capacity to six trains. In addition, the tracks are expected improve interchanges between UP, BNSF Railway and Central California Traction, and reduce rail equipment dwell time at the port.
The project was financed by the port, UP and terminal operator Metro Ports. The track, which was constructed by Industrial Railways Construction, was finished in 100 days, according to the port.
The port says it plans to employ up to 18 additional daily workers due to the expansion.
Showing posts with label Port of Richmond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Port of Richmond. Show all posts
Friday, March 9, 2012
Friday, June 24, 2011
Subaru Delays Start of Richmond Port Auto Import Operations
Automaker Subaru, who was expected to begin moving cars through the Port of Richmond, in the Bay Area, as early as this month, has decided to delay the opening of its import terminal at the port until the fall due to complications resulting from the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Earlier this year, the port approved a five-year deal with Subaru that would see the automaker move between 30,000 and 35,000 cars through the port's Port Potrero Automotive Facility. Subaru, which chose Richmond as its Northern California port of entry last year, plans to ship about half of the imported cars out of the port via rail and the other half via truck.
Richmond City Manager Bill Lindsay reported to the mayor and City Council earlier this month that, "Subaru has recently informed Auto Warehousing Company (AWC), the port’s operating tenant for its auto business, that the start-up of its Richmond business will be delayed approximately three months until November of this year."
Ben Seher, the vice president of AWC told the Contra Costa Times, "It's a matter of [Subaru] getting their supplies up and in order for distributing vehicles. They're definitely coming; it's just a matter of timing."
AWC, Seher told the newspaper, had already started plans to begin hiring the 40 or so employees the operation will require, but he added that the delay in opening should not impact long-term hiring plans.
Subaru was also not the only Richmond tenant impacted by the Japanese disaster. Honda, who imports about 145,00 cars a year through Richmond's Port Potrero facility, was forced to scale back imports in the past several months due to disruptions caused by the Japanese twin-disaster.
"Once the earthquake happened, it's not just Subaru, it's also Honda that started importing a ton less vehicles," Seher told the newspaper. "It's all the Japanese manufacturers."
Earlier this year, the port approved a five-year deal with Subaru that would see the automaker move between 30,000 and 35,000 cars through the port's Port Potrero Automotive Facility. Subaru, which chose Richmond as its Northern California port of entry last year, plans to ship about half of the imported cars out of the port via rail and the other half via truck.
Richmond City Manager Bill Lindsay reported to the mayor and City Council earlier this month that, "Subaru has recently informed Auto Warehousing Company (AWC), the port’s operating tenant for its auto business, that the start-up of its Richmond business will be delayed approximately three months until November of this year."
Ben Seher, the vice president of AWC told the Contra Costa Times, "It's a matter of [Subaru] getting their supplies up and in order for distributing vehicles. They're definitely coming; it's just a matter of timing."
AWC, Seher told the newspaper, had already started plans to begin hiring the 40 or so employees the operation will require, but he added that the delay in opening should not impact long-term hiring plans.
Subaru was also not the only Richmond tenant impacted by the Japanese disaster. Honda, who imports about 145,00 cars a year through Richmond's Port Potrero facility, was forced to scale back imports in the past several months due to disruptions caused by the Japanese twin-disaster.
"Once the earthquake happened, it's not just Subaru, it's also Honda that started importing a ton less vehicles," Seher told the newspaper. "It's all the Japanese manufacturers."
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Honda Breaks Ground on New Richmond Import Facility
The American arm of Japan-based Honda Motor Co. broke ground Tuesday on a new hybrid-car import facility that will make the Port of Richmond, California one of only three West Coast ports of entry for the carmaker's Japan-manufactured vehicles.
The 80-acre facility promises to pump more than $85 million into the local economy over the 15-year deal with the city. The Honda Port of Entry Project and the completed facility will also create about 250 jobs, according to American Honda Motor Co., of which 30 percent must go--under terms of the deal--to people that live in Richmond.
As part of the deal, the city will spend about $37 million to build new rail tracks at the facility location and upgrade existing tracks. Currently, Honda ships autos destined for the Bay Area through the Port of San Diego and trucks the vehicles to Northern California. In addition to Honda hybrids going to customers in the Bay Area, the Richmond facility will, according to the developers, also be utilized to ship the Honda vehicles via rail to the entire southern half of the country.
When completed, Honda expects to ship about 145,000 cars a year through the facility.
The 80-acre facility promises to pump more than $85 million into the local economy over the 15-year deal with the city. The Honda Port of Entry Project and the completed facility will also create about 250 jobs, according to American Honda Motor Co., of which 30 percent must go--under terms of the deal--to people that live in Richmond.
As part of the deal, the city will spend about $37 million to build new rail tracks at the facility location and upgrade existing tracks. Currently, Honda ships autos destined for the Bay Area through the Port of San Diego and trucks the vehicles to Northern California. In addition to Honda hybrids going to customers in the Bay Area, the Richmond facility will, according to the developers, also be utilized to ship the Honda vehicles via rail to the entire southern half of the country.
When completed, Honda expects to ship about 145,000 cars a year through the facility.
