As importers scrambled to get their cargo into the United States ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline, the Port of Oakland saw its highest monthly import total for 2025 in July. Loaded imports jumped 31.4% from 70,334 TEUs (twenty-foot containers) in June to 92,392 TEUs in July, according to the port.
“The pending tariffs created a clear incentive for importers to push cargo through in advance, giving us a strong month across the board,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes in statement. “As that front-loaded cargo works its way through the supply chain, we anticipate a more moderate pace in the months ahead.”
Exports also rose 10.1% with 65,595 TEUs moving through the port in July compared to 59,593 TEUs in June. Together, full TEUs totaled 157,987 for the month, up more than 21% from June.
Vessel activity also increased by 23.4% from 77 ships in June to 95 in July, as carriers added more port calls to accommodate the additional volume. Average TEUs per vessel edged down slightly from 2,187 in June, to 2,138 in July. Port officials said this drop is a natural shift when more ships are sharing the load.
Year-to-date, total TEUs for the Port of Oakland through July is 1,346,022, 1.9% more than 2024’s pace. Loaded imports are tracking 3.5% higher than last year, while loaded exports are up 0.3%.
More information about the Port of Oakland’s container volume can be found here: https://www.oaklandseaport.com/performance/facts-figures/
