Expanded Renewable Fuels Facility Opens at Port of Stockton
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celebrated the debut of an expanded renewable fuels terminal in California that will facilitate the movement of biodiesel and renewable diesel from ships to decarbonize heavy-duty transportation.
“The Port of Stockton is a key economic engine for the valley, helping to export our world-class crops and bringing business and jobs to our communities,” said U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), who attended the ribbon-cutting April 22. “This renewable fuels terminal will make the port safer and more efficient while creating new jobs and supporting statewide decarbonization goals.
“We worked hard to bring this new infrastructure to the port, and I look forward to continuing to fight for smart investments in our local economy’s future.”
Harder gathered with port officials and leaders of Houston-based BWC Terminals Holdings at the event. The expanded BWC Terminals is the first new Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards (MOTEMS) compliant dock built in California in nearly 30 years.
The state has established MOTEMS requirements with minimum engineering, inspection and maintenance criteria to safeguard public health and the environment for building marine oil terminals to ensure better earthquake resistance and lower the likelihood of oil spills.
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“The BWC MOTEMS dock is a pivotal step in advancing the Port of Stockton’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy. By providing a modern infrastructure capable of supporting renewable fuel operations, we’re helping drive the transition toward cleaner and greener fuels,” port Director said. “This new facility will not only accommodate the growing demand for low-emission fuel but also position the port as a leader in supporting California’s ambitious climate goals and the future of sustainable shipping.”
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The inland Port of Stockton, which handled some 4.3 million metric tons of cargo in 2023, is a located on the delta of the San Joaquin River in the state’s San Joaquin Valley agricultural belt. The renovated renewable fuels terminal is meant to bolster both California’s maritime infrastructure and biofuels capabilities.
BWC Terminals celebrated the official completion of its expanded renewable fuels terminal at the Port of Stockton. The Port of Stockton welcomed BWC executives, customers, and partners to a ribbon-cutting event in addition to special guest California Congressman Josh Harder! — Port of Stockton (@PortofStockton)
The facility sports modern safety and environmental systems, such as fire protection, seismic resilience, spill containment and upgraded vessel mooring infrastructure.
“It is designed to safely and efficiently transfer renewable diesel and biodiesel from marine vessels, supporting California’s efforts to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy-duty transportation,” according to the port.
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During the past five years, BWC has expanded its Stockton terminal by more than 500% to meet high demand for renewable fuel storage and logistics support. Its larger renewable fuels terminal in Stockton and new dock will support 18 full-time positions.
Stockton ranks among several cities, including Lathrop, French Camp, Manteca, Patterson and Tracy, that have seen growth in logistics driven in part by companies seeking less expensive land for e-commerce facilities than the pricey San Francisco Bay Area. Stockton and the other cities have ample industrial land to develop, lower-cost housing, multimodal options and easy access to consumers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Portland, Ore. and Reno, Nev.
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The Port of Stockton sits on 2,000 acres and has a 35-foot channel depth. Its highest-value exports are coal, iron ore, machinery, petroleum coke, rice, safflower seed, sulfur and wheat, according to the California Freight Mobility Plan 2023. The port’s highest-valued incoming foreign cargo consists of ammonia, bulk fertilizer, cement, liquid fertilizer, lumber, molasses and steel products.
“At BWC, we are proud to serve as a critical link in the renewable fuels supply chain,” said Adam Smith, president and CEO of BWC Terminals. “This expanded terminal demonstrates our strong commitment to California’s clean energy future, which was made possible through the leadership and collaboration with Congressman Harder, our labor partners and the Port of Stockton.”
BWC Terminals provides bulk liquid storage and logistics services to North American manufacturers, refiners, producers and distributors of bulk liquids. It has 22 sites with 20 million barrels of storage capacity. The BWC Terminals facilities store a variety of renewable fuels, agriculture, specialty chemicals and petroleum-based products.
