The Port of Oakland is looking at making some significant improvements to its security program, including some changes that could involve trucks used to move cargo in and out of the facility.

The port received a $750,000 grant from the State of California in July and plans to use that money to buy new security equipment including global positioning devices and patrol boats.

One of the first purchases the port is making is 2,000 radio frequency identification devices to be used on trucks operating at the port’s terminals. The devices will allow the ports to track the movement of the trucks and plan for their arrivals and departures.

The Oakland Tribune reported that the port initially plans to use the devices to discover whether trucks are using unauthorized routes to access the docks and track vehicles that are violating restricted areas.

Marilyn Sandifur, a spokeswoman for the port, told Land Line the project is in its early stages and the final details have not yet been worked out.

Part of the problem, she said, is that the port was hoping to receive some additional federal funding, which would be used to by the software and management systems to go with the RFID devices.

“We did not receive the federal funding,” she said. “So we’re going to have to fund that ourselves.”

Sandifur said that until the port sorts out its funding issues, the RFID devices would not be immediately put into use. The port will go public with further information once a plan is developed, she said.

– By Terry Scruton, senior writer
terry_scruton@landlinemag.com