The Port of Oakland has teamed up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to sign a design agreement for a $642 million project. This initiative aims to help larger containerships navigate more easily at one of the busiest ports on the U.S. West Coast.
Signed on August 27, the agreement moves the Oakland Harbor Turning Basins Widening Project into the Pre-Construction, Engineering, and Design phase, paving the way for future construction.
The project involves widening both the inner and outer harbor turning basins at the Oakland Seaport. As the size of vessels calling at the port increases, maneuvering has become more difficult, leading to operational challenges.
“Oakland Harbor is a key part of our national supply chain,” stated Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, the deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Today marks the next step in ensuring it remains a hub of American commerce for many years to come.”
According to the plan, the Inner Harbor Turning Basin will be expanded by 334 feet, increasing its diameter from 1,500 feet to 1,834 feet. The Outer Harbor Turning Basin will also grow by 315 feet, from 1,650 feet to 1,965 feet.
These larger basins will make it easier for the growing number of larger vessels to operate in Oakland, reducing transit issues and allowing ships to turn more safely and effectively.
The Army Corps and the Port are also considering using a design-build approach for the Outer Harbor Turning Basin, which could speed up the contracting process and allow dredging to begin sooner.
Additionally, the project has an environmental aspect, as suitable dredged material is expected to help create around 205 acres of wetlands.
“Investing in vital infrastructure today makes sure Oakland stays a competitive port city for future generations,” remarked Port of Oakland Executive Director Kristi McKenney. “Larger ships and taller cranes are essential to our regional economy, and we appreciate our partners at the Army Corps of Engineers sharing our vision for a better, more efficient, and safer future.”
McKenney signed the agreement with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District Commander Lt. Col. Virginia Brickner during a ceremony on the historic USS Potomac at Oakland’s Jack London Square.
This agreement follows years of planning, including the completion of the project's Chief of Engineers Report in 2024.
“Looking back, so many people have worked hard to get us from the early planning stages to today’s design agreement,” Brickner noted.
The Army Corps found during its feasibility study that vessels using Oakland are increasingly larger than the dimensions of the existing 50-foot federal navigation project, which is expected to pose more challenges as vessel sizes continue to increase.
This widening project builds on Oakland's previous navigation improvement, the $433 million Oakland Harbor Minus 50-Foot Deepening Project, which was completed in 2009 and deepened the harbor’s federal navigation channels from 42 feet to 50 feet.
More than 3.5 million cubic yards of dredged material from that deepening project were effectively reused for wetland restoration at the former Hamilton Army Airfield in Novato, California.
The latest initiative is the next significant step in adapting Oakland Harbor to accommodate the larger ships needed for transpacific container trade.