Container volume at the Port of Oakland declined in June as carriers and shippers adjusted operations in response to softening demand and ongoing tariff uncertainties.
The Port handled 168,460 TEUs, a 10.1% decrease from May and a 12.8% drop compared to June 2024, when 193,158 TEUs were processed.
Bryan Brandes, Maritime Director at the Port of Oakland, noted that this is not a typical seasonal dip as it reflects a broader market recalibration, with importers and exporters shifting their supply chain strategies in response to changing market dynamics.
Despite the monthly drop, container volume for the year to date remains slightly ahead of last year. Total throughput reached 1.14 million TEUs through June 2025, a 0.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Loaded imports rose 1.5% year-over-year, while loaded exports declined 1.3%.
In June, loaded imports totaled 70,334 TEUs, down 11.3% from May and 16.3% lower than June 2024, when 84,040 TEUs were recorded. The decline reflects changing trade policies and waning consumer demand.
Loaded exports stood at 59,593 TEUs, an 11.5% month-over-month drop and a 10.3% decrease from June 2024, when 66,424 TEUs were moved through the port. This decline mirrors persistent weakness in global markets.
Empty import containers inched up 0.6%, with 10,400 TEUs handled in June, compared to 10,337 TEUs a year earlier. However, empty export containers fell 13.1%, totaling 28,133 TEUs down from 32,356 TEUs in June 2024.
The Port recorded 77 vessel calls in June, down from 87 in May and 86 in June 2024.
However, the average number of TEUs per vessel rose 1.6% compared to May, as shipping lines consolidate cargo on fewer sailings. Carriers continue to streamline services, resulting in fewer ship calls, fuller vessels, and container flows that reflect cautious global trade sentiment.
