Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Port of Oakland import volume approaches pre-pandemic level

But total container traffic still lags behind 2018 historical peak.

chart of port of oakland container traffic
Ben Ames
By Ben AmesNov 22, 2024
Ben Ames
Ben Ames has spent 20 years as a journalist since starting out as a daily newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania in 1995. From 1999 forward, he has focused on business and technology reporting for a number of trade journals, beginning when he joined Design News and Modern Materials Handling magazines. Ames is author of the trail guide "Hiking Massachusetts" and is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.
See Full Bio

The Port of Oakland’s container volume continued its growth in the fourth quarter, as total container volume rose 10% over the same period in 2023, and loaded imports grew for the 12th straight month, approaching pre-pandemic levels.

Specifically, loaded import volume rose 11.2% in October 2024, compared to October 2023, as port operators processed 81,498 TEUs (twenty-foot containers), versus 73,281 TEUs in 2023, the port said today.

However, the port’s total container volume overall continues to lag behind its 2018 historical peak of 2,546,399 TEU, as seen by its most recent complete year mark of 2,065,709 TEU for 2023.

“Overall, the Port’s loaded import cargo is trending towards its pre-pandemic level,” Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes said in a release. “This steady increase in import volume in 2024 is an encouraging trend. We are also seeing a rise in US agricultural exports through Oakland. Thanks to refrigerated warehousing on Port property near the maritime terminals and convenient truck and rail access, we are well-positioned to continue to grow ag export cargo volume through the Oakland Seaport.”

In a separate release, the port said it continues to rank number one by TEU volume in international refrigerated (reefer) export trade among United States ports through October. If that trend continues through December, the port would take the nation’s top rank for the eighth consecutive year.

Looking deeper into its October statistics, loaded exports declined 3.4%, registering 66,649 TEUs in October 2024, compared to 68,974 TEUs in October 2023. Despite that slight decline, the category has grown 6.7% between January and October 2024 compared to the same period last year.

In fact, Oakland’s exports have been declining over the past decade, a long-term trend that is largely due to the reduction in demand for recycled paper exports. However, agricultural exports have made up for some of the export losses from paper, the port said.

For the fourth quarter, empty exports bumped up 30.6%. Port operators processed 29,750 TEUs in October 2024, compared to 22,775 TEUs in October 2023. And empty imports increased 15.3%, with 15,682 TEUs transiting Port facilities in October 2024, in contrast to 13,597 TEUs in October 2023.

ArticleMaritime & OceanEditorialTransportation
port of oakland
ArticleMaritime & OceanEditorialTransportation
port of oakland

The Latest

instawork screen cap of warehouse worker profile
Labor Management

3PL LVK will partner with Instawork to find warehouse labor

chart of consumer spending
Omnichannel

Consumers “took a breather” on January spending after holiday rush

chart of container imports to US ports
Ports

Descartes: U.S. container imports reached a record for the month of January

More Stories

chart of US imports

NRF: Container imports remain high after Trump tariff threats

Days after tariff threats by the Trump Administration against Canada and Mexico were paused for a month, imports at the nation’s major container ports are expected to remain high, as retailers continue to bring in cargo ahead of the new deadline and to cope with elevated tariffs on China that did occur, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Part of the reason for that situation is that companies can’t adjust to tariffs overnight by finding new suppliers. “Supply chains are complex. Retailers continue to engage in diversification efforts. Unfortunately, it takes significant time to move supply chains, even if you can find available capacity,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a release.

Keep ReadingShow less
cargo handling cranes at a port

Port of Savannah got four more ship-to-shore cranes on Saturday

The Port of Savannah received four collossal new electric ship-to-shore cranes on Saturday, bringing its total to eight and soon enabling the Georgia facility’s Ocean Terminal to service two vessels simultaneously.

The Super Post Panamax cranes were all designed by Finland-based Konecranes. The specific manufacturer of the cranes is significant in an era where U.S. security agencies have warned in recent months that the Chinese-made cranes currently installed at most U.S. cargo ports pose cybersecurity and espionage risks if hackers tapped into their networked sensors to monitor details of cargo port operations.

Keep ReadingShow less
trucks at Port Houston

Port Houston passes $1.1 billion for contracts with small, minority, and women-owned businesses

Port Houston has awarded more than $1.1 billion to date in contracts with Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (S/MWBEs), helping to fuel collaboration and to build economic wealth in its communities, the port said today.

According to Port Houston, its Business Equity Program provides resources, mentorship, and access to procurement opportunities, helping businesses thrive. That initiative has been driven by the collective impact of Port Houston’s Small Business Development Program, established in 2002, and its Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Program, launched in 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
photo of containers at port of montreal

Port of Montreal says activities are back to normal following 2024 strike

Container traffic is finally back to typical levels at the port of Montreal, two months after dockworkers returned to work following a strike, port officials said Thursday.

Canada’s federal government had mandated binding arbitration between workers and employers through the country’s Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) in November, following labor strikes on both coasts that shut down major facilities like the ports of Vancouver and Montreal.

Keep ReadingShow less
cranes at a cargo port

AAPA lobbies incoming Trump Administration on seaport policies

As political bodies in Washington, D.C., prepare to shift to a new administration this month, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has released an eight-point wish-list for its recommended policy agenda to support the nation’s seaports.

According to AAPA, the policies are necessary to revitalize America’s ports, keep America safe and secure, and unleash sustainable economic growth. The announcement comes shortly after the 119th Congress began its 2025 session on January 3, and just days before the January 20 inauguration of Donald Trump for a second term as president.

Keep ReadingShow less
Copyright ©2025.