Terminal Operations Suspended at Port of Oakland

Port of Oakland file photo. Photo: Wikimedia commons

Marine terminal operations were suspended for the day Thursday at the Port of Oakland as longshore workers took the day off for a union meeting, the Port said in a statement.

The Port said that means no gate, yard or vessel work will occur during the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. day shift. The night shift at the port has been suspended by terminal operators for about a month now, the Port said. Full operations are expected to resume at the Port on Friday, February 20.

“The decision not to work is damaging to shippers who rely on the Port of Oakland to move their cargo, and to the thousands of people who depend on the Port for their livelihood,” said Port Maritime Director John Driscoll. “Disruptions such as this one cripple our ability to support global trade and the economy of the Bay Area.”

The work stoppage means containers will not be loaded or unloaded on the 12 vessels at berth, according the Port, and it precludes the release of import containers or acceptance of exports for overseas shipment.

The Port said that the “stop work” meetings are typically held at night, not during the Port’s peak period of activity.