Did you know the Port is the only deep-water port in the South Bay area? This is what allows cargo ships to come and go.

As the holiday season approaches and we begin to reflect on 2023, I would like to take a moment to offer special thanks to those who have been a part of the Port community this year. Without your support and involvement, the achievements we made this year would not have been possible.

One of our strategic initiatives this past year was to increase community engagement at the Port. In May, we kicked off the summer with our first ever lighted drone show and closed out the warm summer with our annual PortFest celebration October 7, where we welcomed nearly 1,500 guests to see behind-the-scenes maritime activities and enjoy boat rides, local vendors, food trucks, live music and more.

This month's issue of Currents will also introduce you to our newly elected officers for the Port's Board of Commissioners, share information about our recent emergency preparedness exercise and announce the final 2023 Rock the Dock concert line up.

It is a true honor to be a vital part of the broader Silicon Valley region. We look forward to continuing to engage the community in our operations in 2024 and beyond.

Kristine A. Zortman

Executive Director

Port conducts annual emergency preparedness exercise

The Port of Redwood City is designated as a Federal Staging Area (FSA) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA), which means it could be activated at any time to support an emergency response.

To ensure the Port is ready should this call come, it conducts an annual training exercise with various federal, state and local emergency partners. The state and federal agencies come together to practice different emergency scenarios, sharpening their respective emergency response strategies.

As the only FSA in the South Bay with access to water, the Port plays a critical role in keeping the entire region safe.

To learn more about Port safety, click the link below.

Join us for the last three Rock the Dock concerts in 2023

The wildly successful "Rock the Dock" concert series will be wrapping up 2023 with three final concerts in November. Community members are encouraged to join us at the South Bay Waterfront (475 Seaport, Redwood City) to enjoy some exceptional live music offerings.

The November lineup is as follows:

• Saturday, Nov. 4 from 3:30 - 6 p.m. - Momotombo SF (Día de los Muertos Celebration)
• Saturday, Nov. 11 from 2:30 - 5 p.m. - Groove Ride
• Saturday, Nov. 18 from 2:30 - 5 p.m. - The Houserockers

Concerts are free but guests are encouraged to tip generously. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to relax between sets and get ready for a great time!

The 2024 concert lineup will be announced early next year and will begin in April.

Port commissioners elect new officers

At the Port’s board meeting on September 27, Port Commissioners Lorianna Kastrop, Stan Maupin and Nancy C. Radcliffe assumed new leadership positions on the Board of Commissioners.

Lorianna Kastrop was elected as Chairperson of the commission after serving on the board since 2008. In 2013, she was the first woman to serve as Chair and is the founder of PortFest.

Stan Maupin, who joined the board in 2022, was elected as Vice Chair. Before his appointment, he served for over 32 years in the fire service, including 17 in Redwood City.

Nancy C. Radcliffe was elected as Secretary of the commission. Radcliffe also joined the board in 2022 after serving 20 years on the Redwood City Planning Commission.

Board members are appointed by the City Council for a period of four 4-year terms. 

The Port would like to thank Commissioner Garcia for his service as Chairperson over the past year. He will continue to serve as commissioner on the board.

That's a wrap on PortFest 2023

Thank you to those who joined us at this year’s PortFest. We hope you enjoyed the annual event that has become so important to our community. We were proud to reflect on our maritime history and connect with those in attendance.

We would also like to thank our sponsors and vendors for their participation. With their support we were able to host boat rides, food trucks, live music and more.

Stay tuned for updates on next year's event on our website.