Oakland’s McKenney says lease agreements with three terminals top priority in 2026

In her State of the Port of Oakland speech, Port of Oakland Executive Director Kristi McKenney said her top priority in 2026 is negotiating new lease agreements with the Port’s three largest terminals.

The three terminals are Oakland International Container Terminal, TraPac, and Everport: “We have three primary terminal operators. And right now, my number one priority is working in partnership with those terminal operators to get three new long-term leases in Oakland. So, that's going to be the focus. As this year comes to a close, we're going to have new leases with these terminal operators that bring massive investments to Oakland.”

New Cranes at TraPac

McKenney explained: “We already have investments coming to Oakland. Pretty soon, you're going to see two new 440-foot cranes, raised above the TraPac terminal. I am very excited to see that, and these are the first European-built cranes on the West Coast. A few months from now, two more cranes are going to come and be erected.”

In January, the Port of Oakland welcomed two new container cranes at its TraPac terminal, marking the first time European-built ship-to-shore cranes have been deployed on the US West Coast. The new Liebherr cranes, “manufactured in Ireland, will make that work faster and more energy-efficient, helping the Port operate more smoothly while reducing environmental impacts. Once operational, the cranes will stand more than 440 feet tall—about the height of a 40-to-45-story building—allowing TraPac to handle today’s largest container ships more efficiently by improving reach and enabling containers to be moved more smoothly and consistently, helping reduce time at berth. The cranes are fully electric, which helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels and supports the Port of Oakland’s ongoing efforts to cut emissions while modernizing its infrastructure,” according to a Port announcement.

“These new cranes represent an important investment in the future of the terminal,” said Cameron Thorpe, CEO of TraPac. “They improve efficiency today while helping move the Port toward a greener future.”

“We are very excited, and this is part of the Port’s broader modernization efforts,” said Bryan Brandes, Maritime Director at the Port of Oakland. “We’re focused on making improvements that support reliable operations and long-term environmental goals.”

Meanwhile, McKenney said a new crane will be arriving and will be erected at the Oakland International Container Terminal operated by Stevedoring Services of America (SSA): “In the coming year, we'll be able to also welcome SSA’s new crane, and that comes on top of cranes that they brought in a few years ago.”

Turning Basins

McKenney also cited progress in obtaining federal support to enlarge existing Turning Basins that will allow mega-container ships to better maneuver alongside ship-to-shore cranes at container terminals: “Speaking of big investments, what we need to be doing is making sure we accommodate the larger vessels that are coming. Vessels are getting bigger, and we need to be able to operate them here at Oakland if we're going to be successful, and this is where the Turning Basins project comes in. We have just secured $8 million in federal appropriations that is going to keep design going on this important project. This is going to make sure those ships can turn efficiently and safely on the Inner and Outer harbor here in Oakland. “

Green Port Initiatives

In November 2025, the Port of Oakland announced two critical achievements in its pursuit to become the “cleanest and greenest” port in the United States:

In 2024, a record 86% of the electricity the Port provided to tenants and facilities came from renewable and zero-carbon sources, and the Port secured a long-term energy storage services agreement that will help strengthen the Port’s energy supply, optimize solar power, and advance the Port’s full transition to clean energy.

McKenney acknowledged the support from Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee in facilitating new federal grants in the amount of $322 million federal dollars she helped bring to Oakland for zero emissions: “We're going to be the cleanest and greenest Port in large thanks to our mayor on the West Coast.”

McKenney explained: “I started at the Port of Oakland as an environmental planner, so I am 1000% committed to zero emissions, to making this Port the cleanest, and making sure that we don't have negative impacts on communities. We have a tremendous project underway. We have $475M capitalizing on that grant plus private investment to convert hundreds of pieces of terminal equipment and drayage trucks to zero emissions.”

The Port can facilitate this transition because it is its own public utility: “One of our other great attributes is that we are also a public utility for electricity. So, we have invested heavily in our electrical, utility division; we’ve been staffing that up, and so, we are off to the races with being able to provide this power.”

Howard Terminal Soccer Stadium?

The Port will once again explore the possibility of building a sports facility at the Howard Terminal site that the Oakland A’s unsuccessfully failed to turn into a baseball park and condominium complex.

This time, McKenney said, the Port will consider proposals for an industrial use as well as a new stadium for the Oakland Roots soccer team: “Howard Terminal was last an over-the-dock terminal, container terminal in 2013. It has served several important purposes for the Port, but has not been fully utilized given its 50 acres. So, we did do an RFQ on that property, and I am very pleased to say that we just recently announced that we intend to take an ENA (Exploratory Negotiating Agreement) to our Board in the near future with the Industrial Realty Group and the Roots combined proposal. This is a beautiful marriage because what happens here is we get an industrial over-the-dock cargo facility at Howard, as it was intended to be on the industrial side, and then we can have a Jack London Square activation of public activities and engagement with the Roots. So, we're very excited about this development.”

A January report on the Oakland Roots blog noted that the soccer team announced its initial proposal to build a permanent stadium in Howard Terminal in December 2024, which featured a 15,000-seat temporary modular stadium while the permanent 25,000-seat stadium is being built. Becoming a finalist at Howard Terminal opens the door for a temporary stadium in 2027 when their time at the Coliseum runs out. In January of last year, the organization announced they put an end to its plans for a stadium at the Malibu Lot on the Coliseum grounds, shifting focus to its long-term plans.

“Without a confirmed home in 2027, Howard Terminal is now at the forefront as the best possible outcome for Roots and Soul.”

Reactions from several maritime stakeholders were to wonder, just as with the Oakland A’s ballpark project that failed, why the nearby Oakland Coliseum, which is already built, is not being used or refurbished for a sports team such as the Roots.

Oakland Airport Protest

During the State of the Port, a group of demonstrators marched, chanted, and handed out leaflets outside the event being held at Scott’s Seafood at Jack London Square in Oakland.

The demonstrators, mostly young people, are alleging that the Oakland Airport is being used to ship military cargoes to Israel in aid of military operations in Gaza.

The Port of Oakland is both a seaport and an airport.

Kristi McKenney is the overall director of both. Rather than ignoring or deriding them, she addressed the presence of the protesters in her remarks by explaining that the military cargo use is outside of Oakland’s control.

She also said: “I would also like to acknowledge in my remarks about the protesters. I also wanted to let you know that we are engaged in conversation with some of the leaders of these organizations and looking for ways to find common ground.”

There was a moment when a group of protesters pushed their faces against a large window looking into the event, making a facial mosaic of anger, frustration, and perhaps also fear that their elders inside would ignore them on Gaza and other conflicts and crisis threatening their future in the twenty-first century.

In her remarks, Kristi McKenney made it clear that she was not ignoring them and that she was listening.