April 2018 was the Port of Oakland’s best month ever for imports in its 90-year history. The 75,369 TEUs loaded imports volume bested the previous record of 75,243 set in April 2006.
The port’s total cargo volume is up 2.9 percent over the same period a year ago. The port reported that terminals handled 791,371 TEUs (including loaded and empty containers) between January to April 2018. During the same period in 2017, the volume was 768,789 TEUs.
“These container statistics show that we are off to a solid start in 2018,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “We’re on track for steady growth in our cargo volumes for the rest of the year.”
When comparing loaded import and export container volumes for the first four months of 2018, the data shows a 1.2 and 0.5 percent growth respectively. Growth in exports was hampered by the negative effects of China’s stringent rules on recycled materials. However, the port’s meat, fruits and vegetable exports helped offset the loss in recycled commodities.
