Container volume dropped in the last month of the previous year for the port of Oakland in California, US, while the total box throughput at the end of the year was 2.3 million TEUs, marking a noteworthy 4% decrease from the 2021 numbers.
The port’s total loaded container volume in December 2022 declined 8.1% from the same month in the previous year, recording 123,868 TEUs. At the same time, empty imports and exports rose 10.8% and 15.2% respectively.
“The variation in cargo volumes and the relocation of containers is to be expected as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic,” commented Port of Oakland maritime director, Bryan Brandes.
Additionally, full imports decreased by 17.1% year-on-year with the Californian port handling 65,566 TEUs in December 2022. On the other hand, full exports rose by 4.6%, recording 58,302 TEUs in the previous month.
Brandes noted, “the return of empty containers to Asia is a positive step to avoid future port congestion.”
According to the port of Oakland, despite the historical fourth quarter increase in demand, domestic inventories were reported to remain high, curbing the demand for new merchandise, while freight rates continue to decline.
