Up to six 366-foot-tall cranes will soon be raised 27-feet higher at the Port of Oakland, the company said in its press release. The Port said today the $14 million-to-$21 million project will begin this spring at its largest marine terminal. The objective: make it easier to load and unload megaships with containers stacked high above deck.
The governing Board of Port Commissioners approved the crane plan at a meeting last night. It calls for installing longer legs on four-to-six cranes at Oakland International Container Terminal. The terminal handles 70 percent of Oakland’s cargo. Last winter it received the 1,300-foot long Benjamin Franklin, the largest container ship ever to visit the U.S.
The Port of Oakland said it will pay to raise the cranes. It added that the terminal operator, SSA, will repay the Port over the life of its Oakland lease.
In simple terms, here’s how cranes are raised:
A massive jack lifts the entire structure off the terminal deck.
Portions of the original crane legs are cut away.
New leg extensions are placed under the crane and fastened into place.
The terminal said it hopes to begin work on the cranes in April. Completion is scheduled for the second quarter of 2018, depending on how many cranes are raised. That number will also determine the total cost of the project.
The Port said it will take about nine weeks to raise each crane. Jacking equipment is already en route to Oakland, the Port said. Up to 40 tractor-trailers will be used to transport the equipment. Steel leg extensions are being fabricated in China where the cranes were manufactured.
About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.