Port of Oakland: February Volume Declines

Port of Oakland (Photo: Port of Oakland)

In February 2026, the Port of Oakland handled a total of 163,254 TEUs, marking a 14.5% year-on-year (YoY) decrease and a 16.7% drop compared to January. The primary cause stems from reduced vessel activity due to blank sailing programs tied to Lunar New Year factory closures in Asia.

Vessel calls dropped from 86 in January to just 72 in February. This development accurately reflects the pre-scheduled capacity adjustments by ocean carriers aimed at adapting to the seasonal demand slump.

Resilience in the Export Sector

Despite the overall volume decline, export performance still demonstrated a notable degree of resilience. Total export container volumes reached 86,796 TEUs, far outpacing the 76,458 TEUs of imports. This result further cements Oakland's structural role as a pivotal gateway for US agricultural and temperature-controlled/refrigerated goods.

In terms of margins, export volumes only fell 9.5% YoY - a much more modest contraction compared to the 19.6% plunge in imports, as capacity cuts primarily constrained inbound cargo flows.

Structurally, loaded containers accounted for 130,192 TEUs of the total throughput, while empty containers hit 33,062 TEUs. The dominance of loaded cargo over empties indicates that underlying cargo demand remained solidly maintained throughout this period, despite operational schedule disruptions.

Recovery Outlook

Commenting on the operational picture, Bryan Brandes, Maritime Director at the Port of Oakland, stated that February's performance primarily stemmed from seasonal vessel schedule adjustments. Simultaneously, he emphasized that the relative strength of the port's export business is a testament to its enduring role in the agricultural and refrigerated trade.

Year-to-date (YTD), loaded containers currently account for about 78% of total TEUs, with exports contributing approximately 51% to the total throughput. This structure highlights its export-oriented characteristics while affirming the port's strategic role for the agricultural and logistics sectors in Northern California.

The port projects that vessel schedules will gradually normalize as the post-Lunar New Year period passes.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Container-News)

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