Port of Oakland sees cargo traffic drop vs. 2020, as shippers bypass region

Officials at the Port of Oakland announced a decline in total cargo volume for the month of October compared to the same period in 2020.

Total cargo volume declined 20 percent this October. Import volume dropped by 14 percent and export volume dropped by 27 percent compared to October 2020 totals, port officials said.

The decline in cargo volume is attributed to a dip in vessel traffic.

Port officials said 43 percent fewer ships stopped this year at the Oakland port compared to numbers from October 2020. Carriers diverted ships directly to Asia after delays in Southern Californian ports and bypassed Oakland.

The Port of Oakland is not experiencing the same supply congestion as at other U.S. ports, officials said, adding that shipping lines have begun restoring suspended Oakland vessel services so cargo volume is expected to increase in the future.

In October, 61 ships called in at the Oakland port, compared to 54 in September. And while producers who ship out of the port have faced barriers with decreased vessel space before, officials expect an increased amount of vessel arrivals will also be reflected in November once that month is in the books.