The Port of Stockton had its second-best year ever in 2016, moving nearly 3.9 million tons of cargo. The port’s daily vessel log included three ships in port Monday and another 15 due in by the end of January. “Things look good. This port is an exciting port,” Director Richard Aschieris recently said. “That shipping schedule, looking like that. It wasn’t that long ago you’d see for the whole month maybe six, seven ships.”
The port’s biggest year was 2014 during which more than 4.1 million tons of cargo was handled by the port, and during which 230 ships and 36 barges called at the port. More ships called in 2016 — 232 — but slightly less tonnage was managed, although corn and soy saw an increase in tonnage at 179.9 percent from 2015 to 2016.