In November, the Port of Oakland saw a slight uptick of 0.9 percent in imported cargo and a 2.6 percent drop in exports when compared to the same time last year, according to new numbers released by the port earlier this month.
The Northern California seaport handled 78,045 TEUs in imports and 79,667 TEUs in loaded exports.
So far, the port has moved 197,692 TEUs in overall cargo this year, 0.2 percent uptick from the same time frame in 2019 with 197,360 TEUs, according to the port.
While import demand is strong in the U.S., Oakland’s November import numbers were not as high as it should be because of congestion at Southern California ports, cargo backups and ship delays, officials said. This meant fewer containers through Oakland last month.
“The cargo is there, it’s just delayed,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “We expect to see higher import cargo volume numbers this month compared to December 2019.”
Meanwhile, empty containers needed for restocking goods are in high demand to meet growing import volumes. “The Port of Oakland is working closely with ocean carriers, importers, freight forwarders, agricultural exporters, and container providers to help facilitate communications and solutions for any equipment shortages,” Brandes said.