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Port of Oakland sets all-time cargo record

[ May 21, 2021   //   ]

Port of Oakland passes milestone, sets all-time cargo record

Another month, another record at the Port of Oakland. Port officials reports that the Port of Oakland handled 100,096 TEUs in April – the most for a single month in the port’s 94-year history. It marked the first time that Oakland has passed the 100,000-box milestone for imports in a month.
“We’re sounding like a broken record, but containerized trade continues to flourish as the U.S. economy rebounds,” said Port Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “And as we’ve said before, there doesn’t seem to be a letup in sight.”
Oakland officials said April import volume increased 25% from the same month a year ago. It was the third consecutive month of import gains, and the second straight record month, they said. Import volume year-to-date has increased 19%.
The port said consumer spending continues to drive trade growth. To meet demand, US retailers and e-commerce distributors are importing goods from Asian manufacturers at unprecedented levels. Asia is Oakland’s No. 1 trade partner.
Oakland said its April export volume decreased 3.7% from a year ago. According to the port, empty containers may have been to blame. The reason: Asian manufacturers needed empty boxes to transport record US imports; shipping lines sent large numbers of empties from the US to Asia to meet demand; empties leaving the US took vessel space from USexports intended for Asian markets.
The port said its total volume in April – imports, exports and empty containers – increased 8 percent from April 2020.

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