The port handled about 85,964 imported TEUs in May, a 4.2 percent increase from the same time last year, and 78,070 exported TEUs, an 8.4 percent jump from May 2018 numbers.
Last month marked the third consecutive month of improving import and export cargo volumes for Oakland, which at the moment appears to be bucking expectations of lowered numbers as a trade war between the U.S. and China is ongoing.
“Logic tells us that at some point, tariffs should drive down cargo volumes because they’re making international trade more expensive,” explained Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “But our customers have so far defied conventional wisdom by finding new markets for their products.”
Aiding the port’s numbers are exporters looking to China’s neighbors – Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, while importers are seeking markets to buy goods previously sourced in China, according to the port.
