News

Tallest Cranes Ever for Port of Oakland Arriving from China

Published

3 years ago

December 30, 2020

Kiki

Port of Oakland. Port of Oakland photo

The City of Oakland will get a huge boost to its standing as the Port of Oakland welcomes three large cranes to unload cargo from huge ships that will arrive from China this week.

“These cranes will keep the Port of Oakland competitive so that we can continue to attract the largest vessels calling North America,” said Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan in a statement. “Ultimately, bigger cranes at our waterfront translate into maritime and related jobs for the region.”

Manufactured in China, the cranes are mammoth in size, replacing three older cranes in Oakland’s port.

Fully assembled, the cranes are too large to fit under the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. The crew of the ship carrying the cranes “lowered the booms” Wednesday while the vessel was anchored in Drakes Bay near Point Reyes.

The ‘booms,’ long poles that lift the cargo from the ships to the port, are 100 feet taller than the 20-story Tribune Tower building at 13^th and Franklin streets in downtown Oakland.

With the crane booms lowered the ship carrying the cranes, which were manufactured by ZPMC of Shanghai, will easily clear the bridges.

After entering the Bay, the ship will go to anchor, lower the booms, and then remain at anchor for several days while final preparations are made for the vessel to come into the Port of Oakland and dock.

This is a historic moment for the Port of Oakland and the region, fulfilling a vision begun years ago by the Oakland Port Authority Board of Commissioners. At the time, the late Thomas L. Berkley, the founder of the Oakland Post and El Mundo and the port’s first Black commissioner, negotiated the deal for the cranes. The cranes are valued at $30 million.

Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) is investing in the giant cranes, which can reach up to 225 feet across the deck of ships and lift as high as 174 feet above the dock.

“Taller cranes are needed for efficiently handling cargo that arrives on ultra-large container ships,” said SSA Containers President Edward DeNike. “This new infrastructure is a commitment to the port that we will continue our maritime business at Oakland well into the future.”

According to Bay City News, each 1,000 containers represents eight jobs. With its business partners, the Port of Oakland supports more than 84,000 jobs.

The Mercury News, Bay City News and Rail News contributed to this report.

Kiki

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Related Topics:china cranes Port of Oakland Thomas L. Berkley

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

5 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

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California Black Media

Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Published

5 days ago

April 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Yahushua Nyerere Robinson (Courtesy Photo)

By California Black Media

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.

The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.

The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.

Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”

Oakland Post

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Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

7 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.