Amports maintains strong throughput at Benicia with strict vehicle scheduling

The port of Benicia in northern California is exclusively operated by terminal operator Amports, one of eight primary terminals operated by the company in the US (with another three in Mexico). In 2024 Benicia processed 240,000 finished vehicles and, according to Mark Boucher, Amports’ chief commercial officer (CCO), and those vehicle imports were strong and consistent throughout the year. That is thanks in part to a strict vessel scheduling process and the close proximity of Union Pacific’s railhead, which is adjacent to the port. It is also helped by the berth at the nearby Antioch terminal, also in the San Francisco Bay area, which was completed and made operational in April 2024, with four vessels having called there last year.

Amports is handling vehicle imports at Benicia for a range of carmakers, both deep ocean deliveries from Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, China and Vietnam, and short-sea deliveries from Mexico. GM and Toyota are two of Amports’ biggest customers by volume at the port.

With the Antioch facility working alongside Benicia, Boucher believes Amports has the potential to double its vehicle throughput in California.

“Antioch has strong potential. We’re actively seeking the right automotive partners to help build it out and take it to the next level,” said Boucher. “We already have three customers on site and are excited about what the future holds.”

Stevedoring synergies
In November last year it took on all of the stevedoring operations alongside its other terminal operations at Benicia under the subsidiary Benicia Port Terminal. That is something it will repeat at its Baltimore terminal on the US east coast in June 2025, under the subsidiary Baltimore Port Terminal. Amports is the port authority at both locations. Boucher said the synergy of services provides its customers with one entity to deal with from the moment the vehicles are offloaded from the vessel to the time they are handed over to the haulaway provider. On May 3 this year the company’s stevedoring crew, led by Gus Fashanu, unloaded its 100th ro-ro vessel, NYK’s Sakura Leader at Benicia.

With regard to making port operations more sustainable, in January this year Amports announced a partnership with Stax Engineering which provides equipment to capture maritime emissions. Amports is now using Stax carbon capture equipment to remove up to 99% particulate matter and 95% of nitrogen oxide (Nox) from at-berth vessels. It enables Amports to comply with California’s stringent clean air regulations.

Amports is also investing in electric vehicles and shuttles for portside operations, including moving crews where they need to be. Amports is working with a vehicle modification specialist to convert electric cargo vans for people use and hopes to build on the number of electric vehicles it can deploy for these purposes.