Oakland Breaks 11-Year-Old Record for November Imports

The Port of Oakland had its busiest November ever for imports in 2018, shattering an 11-year-old record.

The port said that it handled the equivalent of 83,364 loaded 20-foot import containers last month. That beat the old November record of 76,902 containers set in 2007.

November imports were up 15 percent over the same period in 2017, a rise which was attributed to the increase in cargo volume due to continued strong U.S. consumer spending.

The port added that importers are rushing cargo into the U.S. in case new tariffs are imposed next year as part of the trade war with China.

“We’re encouraged by our latest cargo statistics,” said John Driscoll, Port of Oakland Maritime Director.

“At the same time, we remain cautious as we approach the new year with uncertainty.”

The port’s total volume, including imports, exports and empty containers, was up 5 percent in the first 11 months of 2018. If the trend continues, Oakland is expected to set a new cargo volume record for the third straight year.