Oakland – Insight Terminal Solutions has issued yet another update on the progress of its Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal Project. But, first, what is Insight Terminal Solutions and what is the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal Project?
Insight Terminal Solutions Is The Developer Of The Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal Project
Insight Terminal Solutions (ITS) is a Oakland, CA based company who will provide world class terminal and stevedoring services at the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) for a variety of bulk agriculture and mineral commodities, utilizing state-of-the-art environmental practices and procedures.
Insight Terminal Solutions is currently conducting project feasibility and due diligence. Conceptual project design is currently underway. Operations are projected to start in 2018. ITS will operate the terminal under a 66 year lease at a site located within the area known as the “West Gateway Area” of the westernmost portion of the former Oakland Army Base.
Insight Terminal Solutions Ceo John Siegel Biography
The terminal will be designed, built and operated to meet and/or exceed CEQA and all City of Oakland Former Oakland Army Base approvals with the two state-of-the-art enclosed material handling and delivery systems fully enclosed covered storage, dust collection systems.
The terminal will be designed to handle an annual throughput of 9,500,000 metric tons of bulk agriculture and mineral commodities and receive up to three unit trains of 114 covered rail cars per day through covered rapid discharge rail car unloading stations rail service will be provided by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe in combination with Oakland Global Rail Enterprise (OGRE) who will provide last mile local rail services.
The terminal will be designed to accommodate Handymax (30,000 tons) to Capesize (130,000 tons) vessels utilizing two state-of-the-art fully enclosed shiploaders.
As for what the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal is, it’s described as a “bulk terminal,” and …
And…
Bulk terminal activities at the (Oakland Army Base) West Gateway have been a key component of the Oakland Global project since its inception, and starting in 2011, OBOT has been in discussion with potential bulk terminal operators. Concurrent with publication of the February 2012 Oakland Global Master Plan and the May 2012 Oakland Global CEQA Initial Study/Addendum, OBOT initiated negotiations with potential terminal operators including Kinder Morgan, Metro Ports, and Terminal Logistics Solutions. In 2018, OBOT entered into an agreement with Insight Terminal Solutions (ITS) for the sublease and operations of West Gateway bulk terminal activities.
UPDATE On Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal Progress
Phil Tagami Oakland Developer
Insight Terminal Solutions, and co-developer Phil Tagami of California Capital Group, have been the unwitting victims of a political attack waged by the City of Oakland, and over a bogus claim that Oakland did not know that coal was to be one of the commodities shipped through the Oakland Global Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal until 2015.
In point of fact, the City of Oakland was not only aware that coal was to be one of the commodities way before 2015, but paid for a market study called the TIOGA Report, and done in 2009, to assess the market potential for coal through what came to be called the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal.
That report set up a kind of end goal for Mr. Tagami – one that the City of Oakland privately believed he would not meet: to secure a capable and experienced partner that would establish coal shipment contracts through the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal.
But Mr. Tagami did just that, twice. The first partner did not want to meet Phil’s stringent environmental requirements, including the use of covered rail cars. That led him to the partnership with Insight Terminal Solutions that exists today.
Tom Steyer (photo courtesy ABC News)
The City of Oakland has twice tried to block Insight Terminal Solutions and Phil Tagami from building the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal as long as coal was a commodity. On both cases, the Federal Court ruled the City of Oakland’s actions were not legal.
As to what’s driving Oakland’s moves, one can look to the political involvement of now Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer, who notably has given over a half-million dollars to the political interests of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.
Steyer’s appearance in the Oakland Political Scene can be matched to when the City of Oakland turned against the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal project.
As of now, ITS and Mr. Tagami are waiting for the next round of legal hearings to start.
