Record-breaking year for Port of Redwood City

“[The news] mean we’re still very strong in the construction industry, which is good for jobs and the economic development of the region,” said Kristine Zortman, executive director for the Port of Redwood City.

Around this time last year, the port was celebrating a 49 percent increase in cargo over the previous year. The port’s fiscal year spans July 1 to June 30.

“Nearly half a million dollars better than our best year in operational history is quite an accomplishment and furthers our maritime and economic development goals serving Silicon Valley,” Lorianna Kastrop, Port Commission chair, said in a press release. 

The port’s main imports include sand, gypsum, aggregates, slag and bauxite, while scrap metal is its primary export.

Forty-two cargo vessels and 17 barges called to the port between July and December.

“We’re seeing our vessel calls go up and we have capacity that we can continue to grow,” Zortman said, adding that recently completed and upcoming dredging projects will allow for more and larger ships to dock at the port.

Cargo is arriving from Australia, Canada and Mexico while the port’s exports are sent to Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh.

Imports are delivered all over the South Bay region.

“Construction industry trends indicate continued growth over the next five years and, as a result, the port anticipates strong results for the remainder of 2019 due to construction materials continuing to be top ranking port imports,” Kastrop said. “These positive maritime trade results allow us to support the local Redwood City community through an annual payment (or subvention) to support city services and activate recreational waterfront uses.”

For fiscal year 2017-18, payments by the port to the city’s general fund totaled $615,000.

At a meeting Monday, Kastropp said the Port of Redwood City is one of the few ports that gives a portion of its annual revenue back to the city and does not tax residents.  

The Port of Oakland is also celebrating record numbers. In 2018, it handled an all-time high volume of containers, breaking a record set the year before.

Port officials attributed the record volume to factors such as the trade dispute between the United States and China that prompted shippers to accelerate import orders before anticipated tariffs take effect.

In other business, the Port of Redwood City issued a request for proposals to renovate its observation deck and fishing pier. The port will be looking for public input on the project at the end of the month and into March with construction starting by early summer if everything goes according to plan, Zortman said. 

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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