OAKLAND & LOS ANGELES, CA - With holiday demand ramping up, we recently learned that volumes at the Ports of Oakland and Los Angeles in California have spiked. At the Port of Oakland, October export container volume rose to the highest volume in any single month seen in 2023. Port of Los Angeles cargo volume increased by 7 percent compared to the previous year.

“Our port remains the preferred export gateway for fruits, nuts, meats, and grains since we are the closest to agricultural areas in the Central Valley,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “We also offer the fastest transit times to Asia since we are the last port of call in the United States before ships go back across the Pacific.”

At the Port of Oakland, full export TEUs (20-foot containers) rose 4 percent during October 2023 compared to October 2022, with a volume of 68,974 TEUs. Full Imports are down 8 percent in October 2023 compared to October 2022. Import volumes seem to have stabilized around 70,000 TEUs per month.

The Port of Los Angeles processed 725,775 TEUs in October.

“Our terminal operators, labor, and other stakeholders have worked hard to earn cargo market share back over the last three months,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka in a report from AJOT. “Additionally, November is also shaping up to be a strong month as we see a final holiday push and warehouse replenishment.”

According to a release from the Port of Oakland, although national consumer spending may be dampened, consumer spending remains strong in the home market of Northern California. However, it has declined somewhat from the heights it reached during the pandemic.

“Import growth is expected to remain flat as traffic continues to stabilize after the significant spikes we saw during the pandemic years,” says Brandes. “Shipping rates remain low and carriers are signaling that will remain well into 2024.”

Congestion at the Port of Oakland was resolved in 2023, and ships are now able to arrive and depart without delay.

As we continue to keep an eye on California ports, don’t forget to check in daily with ANUK.