The Port of Oakland’s total cargo volumes are up 6 percent over the same period a year ago. The Port Monday reported that terminals handled 1,152,608 TEUs between January to June 2016. A TEU is a 20-foot equivalent unit, which is a standard measure in the container shipping industry. During the same period in 2015, the volume was 1,087,417 TEUs. Total volume includes loaded and empty containers.
When looking at fully-loaded containers, the Port’s imports and exports have grown 10.1 percent compared with the same January to June period in 2015. The Port continues to see a balance between import (49%) and export (51%) cargo volumes through the Oakland gateway.
“These container statistics are encouraging in light of the current state of volatility within the global maritime industry,” said Maritime Director John Driscoll. “We are continuing to grow – a sign of the robust regional economy in Northern California and also of strong agricultural exports.”
When comparing loaded and total container volumes for the month of June 2016 versus June 2015, the data shows a 2.2 and 4.6 percent decline respectively. The decline in total TEUs in June 2016 versus June 2015 was driven primarily by approximately 15 percent fewer export empty containers handled. The decline in loaded TEUs in June 2016 versus June 2015 was driven by a modest decline in export volumes. The Port said that the export decline is due to softening scrap and waste paper shipments.
Source: Port of Oakland