The Port of Oakland recorded a recovery in container traffic in September 2026, handling 188,517 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 5.4% compared with the same month last year. Growth in both loaded imports and exports supported the improvement, according to data released by the port authority.
Loaded container volumes rose 7.7% year-on-year to 146,274 TEUs. Imports increased 9.6% to 82,975 TEUs, recovering from declines recorded in July and August. Loaded exports grew 5.3% to 63,299 TEUs, marking their third consecutive month of month-on-month growth.
Total container throughput also increased by 8.5% compared with August, indicating stronger cargo activity during the month. Meanwhile, empty container movements fell 2% year-on-year to 42,243 TEUs. The port handled 88 vessel calls in September, up 7.3% from a year earlier.
Despite the September rebound, Oakland’s cumulative container traffic remained below the previous year’s level. The port handled 1.657 million TEUs during January–September 2026, down 3.5% compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
During the nine-month period, loaded imports declined 3.1% to 706,177 TEUs, while loaded exports increased 0.7% to 590,434 TEUs. Combined loaded container volumes fell 1.4%, and empty container movements declined 10.4%.
Jason Garben, Acting Director of Maritime at the Port of Oakland, welcomed the growth in both import and export volumes. The port said it would continue working with terminal operators and ocean carriers to improve service reliability, operational efficiency and competitiveness.
The September figures signal a recovery in monthly cargo activity, although sustained growth will be needed to reverse the decline recorded during the first nine months of the year.