An unprecedented containerized import surge resumed at the Port of Oakland last month following a January decline. The Port said today that import volume soared 26.2 percent in February compared to the same month in 2020. Oakland welcomed the news after supply chain disruption elsewhere drove its January import totals down nearly 12 percent.
The Port said it handled the equivalent of 80,200 20-foot import containers last month. It was the busiest February for import cargo in its 94-year history, the Port said.
The Port said it loaded 69,588 export containers onto outbound ships. That was an 11 percent decline from February 2020 export totals, the Port said. The Port explained that scarce vessel space hindered exporters attempting to ship cargo overseas.
The Port said import volume has risen dramatically since last summer thanks to increased U.S. consumer spending. It attributed January’s downturn to congestion at Southern California ports that forestalled some Oakland vessel arrivals.
Port and industry analysts forecast continued strong import volume through at least the second quarter of 2021. Asian factories are shipping goods in record numbers to replenish American store shelves and assembly lines. Retailers, manufacturers and e-commerce distributors are driving the surge, the Port said.
The Port said the trade phenomenon is reflected in 2021 vessel loading data. On average, vessels load and unload the equivalent of 2,500 twenty-foot containers in Oakland, the Port reported. That’s a record for Oakland, up from an average of 1,900 containers per ship last year, the Port said.
While cargo volume is growing in Oakland, the number of ships arriving is down 26 percent, the Port said. According to Port data, 156 ships called in Oakland during January and February. In the first two months of 2020, 212 ships visited.
About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland Seaport, Oakland International Airport, and nearly 20 miles of waterfront including Jack London Square. The Port's 5-year strategic plan - Growth with Care - pairs business expansion with community benefits, envisioning more jobs and economic stimulus as the Port grows. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 84,000 jobs.