Port of Oakland August volumes fall year over year as exports edge up from July
While export shipments improved, the Port of Oakland saw total container volumes trail year-ago levels year-to-date. The post Port of Oakland August volumes fall year over year as exports edge up from July appeared first on FreightWaves .
The Port of Oakland processed 173,818 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in August, marking a year-over-year decline in both loaded imports and exports compared to 2025 levels. Full export volume increased by 2.9% from July, but overall container traffic still fell short of the previous year's figures. Combined loaded imports and exports totaled 131,666 TEUs, a 9% decrease from August 2025.
Empty-container traffic, which often signals future import trends, dropped 11.4% year-over-year to 42,152 TEUs, while vessel calls decreased to 82 from 90 a year earlier. Year-to-date, Oakland's loaded cargo volume remained 2.5% below the same period in 2025, with full import volumes falling 4.6%, partially balanced by a slight 0.2% rise in full exports.
The August export gain from July suggests some month-to-month improvement for the heavily export-oriented port, but the year-over-year decline highlights ongoing challenges for second-tier West Coast hubs facing carrier concentration and shifting vessel rotations towards Canada. Port Director Jason Garben noted stable loaded volumes for the year so far, with exports running slightly ahead of 2025 expectations.
The port intends to collaborate more closely with ocean carriers, shippers, and terminal partners to discover new cargo opportunities and attract customers to the Oakland gateway.
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