N E W S Release Office of Richmond Mayor

Contact: David Gray – Chief of Staff Office 510-620-6527 For Immediate Release Cell 504-931-4533 March 4, 2016

City of Richmond Combines Past and Present by Complementing World War II with the Bay Area’s Newest Winery What: Richmond residents and visitors celebrate the relocation of the historic S.S. Red Oak Victory Ship and the grand opening of the Riggers Loft Wine Company Who: Richmond Mayor Tom Butt; Richmond City Councilmembers; Riggers Loft Wine Co., Port of Richmond, Richmond Museum Association, Foss Maritime Company When: Friday, March 4, 2016 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Where: Riggers Loft Wine Company 1325 Canal Blvd, Richmond, CA 94804 Proceed through Port until you reach the end of Canal Blvd.

Richmond, Calif. – The 71-year-old S.S. Red Oak Victory Ship – one of the last vessels built in the Richmond during World War II – received a new home today in preparation for the grand opening of the Bay Area’s newest winery. The Riggers Loft Wine Company is located on Richmond’s shoreline and boasts panoramic views of the Bay, including unparalleled sights of downtown San Francisco and the East Bay.

The successful move of the Red Oak Victory to Basin 5 and grand opening of the winery follows months of logistics and planning by the City of Richmond, Richmond Port Authority, Richmond Museum Association, Foss Maritime Company and Riggers Loft Wine Company. The newly configured area at the foot of Canal Blvd. invites residents and tourists to experience Richmond’s past as the most productive ship-building town during World War II, and its present as a community open for new and exciting business and economic development.

Richmond Mayor Tom Butt, a strong advocate for relocating the S.S. Red Oak Victory near the winery and the Whirley Crane, was very pleased with the successful move of the victory ship.

“Grouping the S.S. Red Oak Victory with other historic structures in the area and the new winery made the most sense,” Butt said. “It creates a cluster of activities that residents and visitors can enjoy. This new area along our shoreline highlights our city’s past as the nation’s most effective ship building facility, and exemplifies Richmond’s future as a community that is open for new business.”

Riggers Loft Wine Company President and CEO Kevin Brown echoed Butt’s sentiments about the new activity along Richmond’s shoreline, noting that the location was perfect for his winery.

450 Civic Center Plaza │ Richmond, │ 94804 510-620-6503 │ www.RichmondCaMayor.org “Richmond’s southern shoreline has the Bay Area’s best views of San Francisco and the East Bay,” Brown said. “It is simply unrivaled. This is the perfect place for a world-class winery – where guests can enjoy a fine glass of wine, host a party or corporate event, relax after a long day of work, or enjoy the informal company of family and friends.”

While the total distance of the ship’s move was fewer than 1,000 feet, it took several months to complete the task due to necessary repairs in the basin that now houses the ship – including removing debris from the bottom of the bay, installing electrical and water lines, and repaving the dock so it is safe for guests to board the ship. Richmond Port Authority Director Jim Matzorkis commended all of the partners involved in coordinating the logistics for the move.

“The successful move of the S.S. Red Oak Victory Ship would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of BKF Engineers, Foss Maritime Company, the Richmond Museum Association and the U.S. Coast Guard,” Matzorkis said. “I also appreciate Riggers Loft Wine Company’s patience as this move was coordinated. Everyone’s top priority was safety and ensuring sure the job was completed correctly, which it was.”

Robert Stevens with BKF Engineers received much praise for taking the lead role on preparing Basin 5 for the ship’s arrival, and Foss Maritime Company, which has a long presence in Richmond, relocated its facilities from Basin 5 to Basin 1 to accommodate the ship. Foss also agreed to tow the ship for free, a service which could have costs up to $300,000.

“Foss is committed to providing safe and ethical service to our clients and community,” Bob Gregory, Regional Operations Manager for Foss Maritime said. “It was important for us to ensure this project proceeded with the best planning, management and equipment available. The Red Oak and the winery are valuable assets to our community, so we considered it a pleasure to lend a hand in making this vision a reality.”

Representatives from the Richmond Museum Association, which operate the ship, say they are excited to begin operations at their new location.

“Our new home adjacent to the Whirley Crane and the winery enhances our ability to share Richmond’s history with the world,” said Richmond Museum Association President John Ziesenhenne. “In regards to the ship, our next major goal is to light its engines for the first time since 1968. This would allow us to take cruises around the San Francisco Bay and possibly sail to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in 2019.”

The Riggers Loft Wine Company will begin normal operations on March 5, 2016. The S.S. Red Oak Victory will begin normal operations as soon as electrical and water installations are complete. The added attraction and enhancements made by moving the Red Oak and opening a new winery, have highlighted Richmond’s impressive shoreline and active waterfront.

"Richmond's waterfront is second to none in the Bay Area," said Beth Javens, Executive Director of the Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The combination of the WWII 'Red Oak Victory' and the contemporary Riggers Loft Winery is indeed historic, more proof that Richmond is poised for a hospitable present.”

About the S.S. Red Oak Victory The S.S. Red Oak Victory was launched on November 9th, 1944 in the Kaiser Permanente shipyard. It was the 558th ship built in Richmond for World War II. The SS Red Oak Victory carried ammunition throughout the Pacific Theatre during the last year of the war. The ship also made voyages during the Korean conflict from 1950 to 1952 and the Vietnam conflict from 1966 to 1968. The ship was

450 Civic Center Plaza │ Richmond, California │ 94804 510-620-6503 │ www.RichmondCaMayor.org deactivated in 1969 and put into permanent storage in the Ready Reserve Fleet in the Suisun Bay, east of San Francisco Bay. The Richmond Museum Association enlisted the help of Congressman George Miller, who wrote the conveyance language and added it to the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996. The ship was relocated to its original home in Richmond on September 20, 1998.

About Riggers Loft Wine Company Riggers Loft Wine Company is named after the recently restored historic Riggers Loft building in the Port of Richmond. The building is a remnant of the Kaiser Shipyards which built many of the Victory and Liberty ships in World War II. At the end of Point Potrero along Richmond’s south shoreline, the winery has a gorgeous panoramic view of San Francisco, Angel Island, Brooks Island, Mt. Tamalpais, Oakland and the East Bay. The Riggers Loft Wine Company will initially sell labels produced by R&B Cellars, which has a strong reputation for producing fine wines. One of R&B Cellars’ most popular wines is The Improviser, a red blend that has received numerous awards since its introduction.

About Foss Maritime Company Foss provides a wide range of marine transportation and logistical services from local harbor services throughout North America to ocean towing and project support in extreme environments throughout the world. Foss also provides engineering and shipbuilding services. The company is wholly owned by Saltchuk Resources, a privately owned family investment company formed in 1982 and based in the Pacific Northwest. Saltchuk was named the World’s Most Ethical Company in 2014 by the Ethisphere Institute, a designation that recognizes the company’s commitment to translate statements about ethics into action.

About the Port of Richmond Located approximately nine miles from the Golden Gate on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay, the Port of Richmond is northern California's most diversified cargo handler. With its roots in petroleum and liquid bulk cargos, Richmond has expanded its dry bulk, break-bulk, and containerized cargo handling capabilities and has increased its automobile processing facilities. Today, Richmond ranks number one in liquid bulk and automobile tonnage among ports on San Francisco Bay.

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450 Civic Center Plaza │ Richmond, California │ 94804 510-620-6503 │ www.RichmondCaMayor.org