Fewer cargo vessels visited the Port of Oakland last month, resulting in a 20% drop in overall cargo in October compared with the same month last year, according to new data released by the port Monday.
Imports fell 14%, while exports dropped 27% when compared to the same time a year ago, the data show. Last month, 43% fewer vessels came to the Northern California seaport than in October 2020 because some ocean carriers chose to send vessels straight to Asia instead of stopping at Oakland after “crippling delays at Southern California ports,” according to a statement released by the port.
Still, Oakland’s overall cargo numbers in 2021 so far are up by almost 2% from the previous 10 months of 2020, with imports up by 8%, according to Oakland.
The port said it isn’t having supply congestion issues, and added that shipping lines have started returning previously suspended vessel services to Oakland. Last month, 61 ships visited Oakland, compared with 54 vessels in September. The port said that it expects that number to be bigger in November.
