OAKLAND has awarded exclusive negotiating rights to the logistics investment group AMB Property of San Francisco to plan an intermodal facility at the port.

AMB, which owns maritime facilities throughout the world, said it would outsource most of the work to Ports America, which recently is working under a 50-year contract to develop Oakland's Outer Harbour Terminal.

The port gave AMB until February 2010 to devise a scheme for a 68ha site.

Separately, AMB has also won negotiating rights to develop a logistics park on 55ha owned by Oakland, next to the intermodal site.

Financial backing for both projects is coming from a private equity group California Capital. The two properties were carved out of a former army base.

Source: Ports online