September 7, 2026 | Page 46

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CALIFORNIA GATEWAY

strategically about how we maximize the footprint we have, and one way to do that is more on-dock rail utilization.”

As the port considers the best pathway to scale up commercially, its import and export origins have seen a dramatic shift from China to Southeast Asia over the last few years.

“ In 2019, China accounted for 70 % of our business imports and exports. Today, it’ s 60 %. Yet last year, we posted an all-time record of approximately 9.9 million TEUs. We’ ve seen a dramatic shift from China to Southeast Asia,” Hacegaba said.

However, this means it now takes two to three days longer for cargo arrive at the port from Southeast Asia than it does from China.

“ It makes this supply chain less competitive. Currently, on average it takes four days to get a container off of a ship once it arrives at berth, onto a train, and into the interior of the United States. With our Pier B project, we’ ll be able to get that down from four days to 24 hours,” Hacegaba said.

Further plans

In 2013, the Port of Stockton set out to complete a project on Marine Highway 580( M-580), aiming to transport containerized cargo between Stockton and the Port of Oakland via barges. Regular weekly service began in April 2013 but was discontinued in September 2014 due to factors such as funding breakdowns, sustainable cargo volume and physical constraints.

However, there has been a recent resurgence of interest.

“ There appears to be considerable interest in reviving the M-580 barging program. Maritime transportation offers significant environmental benefits and economies of scale. However, the previous effort was unsuccessful because the cost per container was approximately three times higher than conventional trucking along the I-580 corridor,” Vezzali said.

“ A detailed feasibility study is needed to evaluate all of the contributing factors. It is a complex model involving capital expenditures, labor, fuel costs, and port efficiency. The port is actively discussing moving forward with such a study.”

In October 2024, a historic $ 110 million federal grant was announced for the Port of Stockton to establish the Northern California Zero-Emission Freight Hub. Part of the Environmental Protection Agency’ s Clean Ports Program, the investment— secured by Rep. Josh Harder( D-Calif.)— will fund electric cargo-handling equipment, vessel shore power and charging infrastructure, solar generation, battery energy storage, and training for existing port employees to deploy and operate the infrastructure. Engineering design, preliminary infrastructure installation and equipment procurement are currently taking place, and the port is targeting to achieve its operational transition to complete zeroemission terminal operations by 2030.

At the Port of Long Beach, a commitment was made to a $ 3.3 billion capital expenditure program over the next 10 years— the largest of any port in North America.

One major venture is the Pier G Slip Fill, a $ 365 million project that would

The Stockton Port District, more commonly known as the Port of Stockton, is a unique inland port situated on the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, within the agriculturally rich community of California’ s fertile San Joaquin Valley. As a California Special District and public entity, the port offers flexible solutions for domestic and international distribution by ship, rail or truck, providing businesses with efficient access to regional, national and global markets.

Boasting world-class warehouse facilities, recent infrastructure improvements, state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment and more than 400 acres of land approved for new development, the Port of Stockton has the capacity to meet growing demand for efficient shipping and logistics services. Its strategic location allows customers to benefit from reduced congestion compared with coastal ports while maintaining direct connections to California’ s extensive transportation network.

In 2025, the port handled 3.2 million tons of cargo through a diversified mix of dry bulk, liquid bulk and general cargoes such as steel coils, beams, super sacks and project cargo. This diversity reflects the port’ s ability to serve a wide range of industries, including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, energy and recycling. Terminal facilities and specialized cargo-handling capabilities enable the port to efficiently accommodate both routine shipments and complex project cargo requiring customized logistics solutions.

The port’ s skilled workforce includes 150 registered union members with extensive experience in breakbulk and project cargo operations. Their expertise, combined with modern equipment and a strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, ensures reliable cargo handling and efficient vessel turnaround times.

Cargo recipients benefit from flexible operating terms for both truck and rail shipments. The port is strategically located adjacent to Interstate 5, the primary north-south transportation corridor servicing California, Oregon and Washington, and is dual-served by two Class I railroads— BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. This multimodal connectivity enables seamless transportation across the western United States, helping businesses reduce transportation costs, improve supply chain reliability, and efficiently move goods to and from domestic and international markets. n

46 Journal of Commerce | September 7, 2026 www. joc. com