The Port of Oakland handled 173,818 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo in August, down nearly 10% year-over-year.

According to data released on September 23, vessel calls for the month also fell by 9% compared to August of 2025. Year-to-date through August, the port has handled more than 1.4 million total TEUs, falling short of that same period last year by 4.5%. Imports through August were also down 4.6% year-over-year, while loaded cargo fell short by 2.5%. Exports were "slightly ahead of last year" by 0.2%, with Port of Oakland acting maritime director Jason Garben stating that the port is "focused on building on that foundation."

“We’re working closely with our ocean carrier, shipper, and terminal partners to identify opportunities to grow cargo through Oakland and give more customers reasons to choose this gateway," Garben said. 

The Port of Oakland faced similar struggles in July, when cargo volumes for the month were down 11.4% year-over-year, while imports came in 14% under that same month in 2025. At the time, Garben noted that while July was a "challenging month" for the port, the outlook for the remainder of the year based on feedback from ocean carrier partners was largely positive.