Starting next Monday, March 7th, the Port of Oakland, in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), is opening a pop-up empty container yard at Howard Terminal. This 22-acre facility will act as a relief valve for logistics in and out of the Port of Oakland with a particular emphasis on agricultural exports.
Empty containers can be both picked up and returned to this yard. It will be a grounded operation with no chassis on-site. Drivers will bring one with them.
Currently, CMA-CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE and MSC are participating in this yard. The port is working with other ocean carriers and hopes to expand its usage.
The USDA is subsiding 60% of the cost of this yard, including a $125/container reimbursement to exporters to cover the additional costs they will encounter.
If Howard Terminal sounds familiar to you, it is because it is also the site of the proposed new Oakland A’s stadium. Read the article on the right for an update.