The shipping platform

Location: The port of Richmond is on the E shore of San Francisco Bay and easily accessible by a deepwater channel from the Golden Gate, 9nm away. General overview: There are five city owned terminals and ten privately owned terminals. The port is served by two transcontinental railroads, Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. A modern intermodal rail terminal is operated by the Santa Fe Railroad and is at the hub of major interstate highway systems. Principal Commodities: Liquid bulk cargoes are: Petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals and petrochemicals, coconut oil and other vegetable oils, tallow and molasses. Dry bulk commodities: Coal, bauxite, gypsum, iron ore, cement, vehicles, agricultural vehicles, earth moving equipment, iron/steel products, scrap metals, and other diversified neo-bulk cargo are also significant. Containerised cargo is now a major factor at Terminal No 3, with Fesco and South Seas Steamship calling on a regular basis. Traffic figures: Approx 5,253,000t of cargo, 900 vessels handled annually. Load line zone: North Pacific Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Mar 1 to June 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, Summer Jul 1 to Oct 31 and Dec 1 to Feb 28/29. Max size: Largest vessel handled: "Sea River Long Beach", LOA 300.8m, draught 13.4m, 211,000GT.