The Port of Oakland handled 198,667 TEUs in March 2026, a significant recovery from the 163,254 TEUs recorded in February, as vessel call activity normalised following the Lunar New Year slowdown.
The port received 86 vessel calls during the month, up from 72 in February, driving the improvement in overall container throughput.
March trade flows were notably balanced, with imports reaching 99,091 TEUs and exports 99,576 TEUs, reflecting an even split between inbound and outbound cargo activity.
The result reinforces Oakland’s established profile as a port with structural strength in both import and export trade.
On a year-on-year basis, March volume was down 8.6 percent compared to March 2025. Year-to-date throughput through the first quarter totalled 557,859 TEUs, a 7.3% decrease from the same period in 2025, consistent with the broader softness in West Coast import volumes observed across the quarter.
Bryan Brandes, Maritime Director at the Port of Oakland, described March as a stronger month and highlighted the expected arrival of additional shipping services in the coming weeks as a factor that should sustain operational momentum into the second quarter.
The port anticipates continued vessel activity and steady cargo flows as new services begin calling Oakland in the near term.
