[myself248]

Those 2-high zoning laws aren't new, are they?

Presumably the port would've architected its systems to work within all sorts of constraints, come they from physics, or business, or regulation. The fact that one of them can easily be relaxed is immaterial to their failure to account for it in the first place.

[smileysteve]

Presumably, the regulation had reasoning. Likely unsightfulness. But also likely danger.

Will the port's insurer cover damages when a 3 or 4 high stack falls?

[booleangate]

Unsightliness maybe, but also California is no stranger to earthquakes. Stacking up to 6 high sounds like a deadly and expensive game of dominos.

[KptMarchewa]

They can be stacked higher on a container ship when full. And ships are subjected to what someone could think of as a "quake" - waves.

[eecc]

for sure, but the harmonic characteristics of sea waves are rather different.

But yeah, you do have a point.