The Port of Stockton & the Railroad That Runs Through Lodi
The Port of Stockton & the Railroad That Runs Through Lodi
How a 120-year-old rail line connects Lodi's economy to a $1.8 billion global trade hub — and what hundreds of millions in new investment mean for our region
LodiEye Report: Port of Stockton and CCTC Railroad Analysis
Summary
The Port of Stockton — California's most inland deepwater seaport — is a $1.8 billion economic engine that directly affects Lodi through the Central California Traction Company (CCTC), the short-line railroad that has connected Stockton and Lodi since 1905. The CCTC operates the port's entire 75-mile on-dock rail system and runs freight to Lodi five days a week, serving businesses including ADM, Pacific Coast Producers, and Sweetener Products. With over $430 million in identified infrastructure investments now underway — including the largest federal grant in port history — the port is transforming into a zero-emission freight hub while pivoting toward exports. The RIISE rail project alone could double export capacity, sending substantially more railcar traffic through CCTC operations and strengthening the economic link to Lodi.
California's Most Inland Seaport — 75 Miles From the Ocean
Fifteen miles south of Lodi, the Port of Stockton sits on the San Joaquin River Delta as a 4,200-acre gateway between the Central Valley and global markets. It is the second-largest port in California by land area, the #1 dedicated bulk and breakbulk port in the state, and the 4th busiest port overall by maritime tonnage and vessel calls.
Established in 1933 and governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners (four appointed by the City of Stockton, three by San Joaquin County), the port operates as a self-sustaining California Special District — it receives no tax subsidies and funds its own operations entirely through cargo handling fees, warehouse services, and property leases.
Ships navigate the 35-foot-deep Stockton Deepwater Ship Channel — reaching up to 40 feet at high tide — carrying vessels up to 900 feet long and 60,000 deadweight tons at full load. On any given day, organic grain from Turkey, refined sulfur bound for Australia, bagged rice destined for Japan, or cement from China moves across the port's docks. In 2023, nearly 4.3 million metric tons of cargo passed through the facility, trading with upwards of 55 countries.
Port Infrastructure at a Glance
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Acreage | 4,200 acres (2nd largest in California) |
| Ship Channel Depth | 35 ft average (~40 ft at high tide) |
| Max Vessel Size | 900 ft LOA; 45,000–60,000 DWT full load |
| Cranes | Two Liebherr 550 mobile harbor cranes (144 MT capacity each) |
| Warehouse Storage | 7.7 million sq ft |
| Transit Sheds | 1.1 million sq ft |
| Rail Network | 75 miles of on-dock and connecting track |
| Foreign Trade Zone | FTZ #231 |
| Developable Land | 400+ acres approved for new development |
| Trucking Access | 200+ truck companies; 24/7 gate access |
Multimodal Transportation Network
Rail: Three railroads serve the port — the Central California Traction Company (CCTC) handles local switching and provides true on-dock rail service, while Class I carriers Union Pacific and BNSF Railway provide transcontinental connections. The rail network moves over 3 million short tons annually.
Highway: The port is served by Interstate 5, State Route 4, and State Route 99, with I-80 approximately 50 miles north and I-205/I-580 connecting the region to the Bay Area.
Marine Highway: The port participates in California's Green Trade Corridor Marine Highway, connecting Stockton with Oakland and West Sacramento via barge service — a lower-emission alternative to truck transport.
Why does Lodi care? The CCTC — the short-line railroad running between Stockton and Lodi since 1905 — operates the entire on-dock rail system at the Port of Stockton. Every railcar that moves through the port passes through CCTC operations, and the same railroad provides freight switching service to Lodi-based businesses five days a week. The port's growth is, in a very direct sense, Lodi's growth too.
The Central California Traction Company: Lodi's 121-Year-Old Railroad
The CCTC is one of the oldest continuously operating railroads in California and the critical link between Lodi and the Port of Stockton's global trade network. Jointly owned by Union Pacific and BNSF Railway, the Class III short-line railroad operates two segments: the Central Valley Branch (15 miles between Stockton and Lodi) and the Port of Stockton trackage (the Stockton Public Belt Railroad with 55 miles of track across the port's East and West complexes).
A Timeline Rooted in Lodi
Lodi Businesses Served by CCTC Rail
The CCTC provides active switching service to several Lodi-area customers, connecting them directly to the national rail network via Union Pacific and BNSF interchanges in Stockton:
Source: CCT Railroad official services directory (cctrailroad.com). Additional Stockton-area customers include Baglietto Seeds and Industrial Railway Company.
Dormant but not dead: The rail tracks from Lodi north through Acampo to Sacramento remain physically in place, with CCTC keeping them "for future operational options." Several miles of track through Acampo are currently used to store rolling stock, primarily centerbeam flatcars for the lumber trade. Any future reactivation could significantly expand Lodi's freight connectivity.
Financial Engine: What the Port Means for San Joaquin County
The Port of Stockton moves more than $1.8 billion in goods and services annually, supports over 11,000 jobs across the region, and contributed $78 million in state and local tax revenue in 2024. In 2019, total trade through the port reached $1.05 billion — $492 million in exports and $557 million in imports.
Port Revenue by Category (Fiscal Year 2016–2018)
| Revenue Category | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Cargo | $6.5M | $8.3M | $11.1M |
| Dry Bulk Cargo | $14.4M | $13.6M | $11.0M |
| Liquid Bulk Cargo | $6.1M | $6.0M | $5.6M |
| Property Management | $26.6M | $25.2M | $24.5M |
| Other | $15.6M | $3.4M | $4.5M |
| Total | $69.2M | $56.5M | $56.6M |
By FY2024, the port continued strong financial performance, investing $14.9 million in infrastructure improvements and earning its 22nd consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
Job Impact Across the Region
The port's employment footprint is enormous relative to its direct staff of roughly 84–119 employees. The 11,000+ supported jobs (as reported by Port Director Kirk DeJesus in February 2026) include longshore labor, trucking, rail operations (including CCTC's 28 employees), warehousing, and induced employment. The Stockton metro area held the second-highest concentration of transportation and warehousing jobs in the entire United States as of 2021.
Major companies that have located distribution and logistics facilities in San Joaquin County — drawn in part by port access — include Amazon, Ashley Furniture, Medline, Lowe's, John Deere, UPS, FedEx, Target, Williams Sonoma, and Niagara Bottling. Industrial real estate absorption in the county averaged 4.6 million square feet per year from 2018 to 2023, with vacancy rates under 5%.
Impact on Lodi and Neighboring Cities
Lodi benefits through the CCTC rail connection and the agricultural supply chain — the port exports rice, grain, and other Central Valley products to international markets. Tracy, Lathrop, and Manteca — along the I-5/I-205/SR-120 corridors — have attracted billions in warehouse investment linked to port logistics. The county's position as the geographic center of the Northern California Megaregion (21 counties, 12.6 million people) amplifies the multiplier effect across every neighboring city.
10 Years of Cargo: Volume and Composition
Total Tonnage Trend (2014–2024)
MT = metric tons. 2021 was an all-time record year with 294 vessel calls. 2024 saw a 4.7% decrease due to steel rerouting to coastal ports and reduced cement/mineral sands imports.
Top Commodities (2018–2019 Comparison)
| Commodity | 2019 (MT) | 2018 (MT) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-Sulfur Coal | 1,584,111 | 1,636,116 | Dry Bulk |
| Cement / Slag | 704,501 | 901,229 | Dry Bulk |
| Fertilizer (liquid) | 615,338 | 649,860 | Liquid Bulk |
| Sulfur | 229,085 | 270,244 | Dry Bulk |
| Steel Products | 208,445 | 244,524 | Breakbulk |
| Food Grade Oil | 179,810 | 175,205 | Liquid Bulk |
| Molasses | 171,216 | 138,653 | Liquid Bulk |
| Ammonia | 158,314 | 133,412 | Liquid Bulk |
| Fertilizer (dry) | 125,157 | 122,890 | Dry Bulk |
| Bagged Rice | 76,010 | 73,022 | Breakbulk |
Additional commodities include organic corn, soybeans, wheat, gypsum, pet coke, tire chips, beet pellets, and project cargo (windmill blades, transformers).
Cargo Composition Breakdown (2019)
Key Shifts Over the Decade
Coal: Historically the port's largest commodity by tonnage, but faces long-term decline pressure from energy transition policies.
Cement: Imports — primarily from China — peaked around 2018 and have moderated with construction market fluctuations.
Fertilizers: Both liquid and dry remain consistently strong, reflecting the Central Valley's agricultural economy.
Steel: Surged during the 2021 supply chain crisis as importers diverted from congested coastal ports, then retreated.
Emerging — Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash): The most significant strategic shift is the port's pivot toward exporting this material, which is critical for glass manufacturing and lithium battery production. With new rail infrastructure, the port aims to become a net exporter for the first time.
Hundreds of Millions in Investment — and What It Means
The Port of Stockton is in the most aggressive investment cycle in its 93-year history. Port Director Kirk DeJesus has outlined a broader infrastructure plan estimated at $280 million, with several major components already funded:
The RIISE Project and What It Means for CCTC / Lodi
The $45.9 million RIISE project has perhaps the most direct implications for Lodi. By replacing the aging San Joaquin River rail bridge and expanding track capacity, the project will dramatically increase the volume of railcars moving through the port — railcars that are switched by CCTC crews. The port currently handles 55,000–58,000 railcars per year; with the RIISE expansion, that number could grow substantially. In their 2018 annual report, CCTC noted that rail storage was at 95% capacity and that "expansion is inevitable."
More rail volume through CCTC means more employment, more maintenance investment on the Stockton-Lodi line, and potentially stronger demand for rail-served industrial sites in the Lodi area.
Federal Funding at a Crossroads
On February 18, 2026 — just one week ago — Rep. Josh Harder hosted the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders at the Port of Stockton to discuss what he called an "existential" infrastructure deadline: the Federal Surface Transportation program expires in September 2026. If Congress does not reauthorize it, billions in planned highway, transit, and freight projects across San Joaquin County could stall. Related regional projects include the SR 99/120 Connector (underway), I-205 Managed Lanes (in review), and Valley Link passenger rail to BART.
Projected trajectory: Based on current funded investments and the strategic pivot to exports, the port appears positioned to recover toward and potentially exceed its 2021 record of ~4.9 million metric tons as rail and infrastructure improvements come online. The combination of zero-emission leadership, export diversification (especially sodium carbonate for the lithium battery industry), and the region's booming logistics sector point to moderate-to-strong growth over the next 5–10 years.
Risks and Headwinds
Coal dependence: Low-sulfur coal remains the port's top commodity by tonnage, and its long-term future is uncertain as energy transitions accelerate. The port's export diversification strategy is partly a response to this risk.
Channel depth limitations: At 35 feet, the Stockton Deepwater Ship Channel cannot accommodate the largest modern cargo vessels at full draft. Deepening the channel is technically and environmentally complex — it runs through the ecologically sensitive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Permitting delays: Port Director DeJesus and Rep. Harder have both emphasized that slow federal and state permitting processes are a major barrier to infrastructure delivery. Even with funding secured, projects can take years to reach construction.
Air quality and environmental justice: The port's proximity to the Boggs Tract residential neighborhood has made air quality a persistent concern. The zero-emission investments are partly a response, and the port now maintains monitoring stations including in Boggs Tract. A proposed wood pellet storage facility on Rough and Ready Island faces organized community opposition over health and environmental concerns.
Federal funding uncertainty: The September 2026 Surface Transportation program expiration introduces near-term risk for planned capital projects.
References & Sources
- Port of Stockton — About
- Port of Stockton Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, FY 2024
- Port of Stockton 2018 Annual Report (85th Anniversary Edition)
- CCT Railroad — Official Website
- CCT Railroad — Services & Customers
- CCT Railroad — Who We Are
- Union Pacific — CCT Short Line Profile
- Wikipedia — Central California Traction Company
- American-Rails.com — CCTC: From Interurban to Short Line
- Lodi Historical Society — Central California Traction Co.
- Abandoned Rails — Central California Traction Company
- California Association of Port Authorities — Port of Stockton
- Stocktonia News — Infrastructure Priorities at Port of Stockton (Feb. 18, 2026)
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce — Port of Stockton Roundtable (Feb. 2026)
- Rep. Josh Harder — Historic $110M for Port of Stockton (Oct. 2024)
- Port of Stockton — $45.9M RIISE Grant Announcement (Jul. 2023)
- ABC10 — Port of Stockton $45M Infrastructure Upgrades
- Business Wire — Port of Stockton Reports Best Year on Record (2018)
- Pacific Ports — Port of Stockton Record-Breaking Year (2021)
- Sierra Club — Port of Stockton Overview & Historic Documents
- San Joaquin LAFCo — Stockton Port District Profile
- Livability — San Joaquin County Infrastructure Network (Dec. 2025)
- San Joaquin County 2025–2030 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
This report was compiled for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Data represents the most current publicly available information as of the publication date. All cargo tonnage figures are approximate where noted. For questions or corrections, contact info@lodi411.com.