Port History
San Francisco Bay is one of the grandest natural harbors in the world, but the first explorers there came by land. In 1769, a Spanish scouting party was the first group from Europe to see the Bay. In 1775, the Spanish ship, the San Carlos, anchored just inside the harbor.
By 1848, the town had just 200 shacks. The discovery of gold brought almost 80,000 hopefuls to the Port of San Francisco by 1851. The 1859 discovery of silver transformed it from a town to a big city, complete with banks, law offices, restaurants, and elaborate hotels.
Before World War I, the city hosted the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a World’s Fair celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal. Being a major Pacific disembarkation point in World War II, the city’s economy benefited greatly. Well-known for the Beat movement of the 1950s, the city was also a focal point for the love generation of the 1960s and the drug movement of the 1970s.
Port Commerce
The Port of San Francisco is governed by a 5-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the Major. The Commission manages a 7-1/2 mile waterfront that the Port develops, leases, administers, and maintains. Today’s Commission manages more than 550 ground, retail, office, commercial, and industrial and maritime industrial leases, including famous spots like Fisherman’s Wharf and the home of the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park.
All types of cargo pass through Port of San Francisco terminals. The terminal has five berths, on-dock rail, many paved acres for cargo staging, 550 thousand square feet of covered storage, cranes for breakbulk and containers, and reefer outlets. In 2007, 75 vessels moved over 1.5 million tons of cargo through the Port of San Francisco. It discontinued container operations in 2005.
Cruising and Travel
Tourism and cruise travel is a major source of income for the Port of San Francisco. Almost 185 thousand passengers moved through the Port in 2007 on 60 vessels. It’s a favorite tourist destination, with world-famous attractions like the Gold Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, China Town and many steep city hills. The Port of San Francisco offers countless art galleries, museums, and many colorful neighborhoods reflecting its ethnic and cultural diversity.
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