Port of Oakland’s Wan says box volumes are rising in 2024

In his annual ‘State of the Port 2024’ address on February 29th, Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan said, “In 2023, we reached 2,000,024 containers. This is a decrease compared to 2022 totals. However, we had a noticeable uptick by the end of the year (2023) and the beginning of this year. So, we are confident that the upward trend will continue.”

The annual “State of the Port” address was sponsored by Women in Logistics and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA).

The Port of Oakland reported that full imports increased 8.2%, with the Seaport handling 72,081 TEUs (twenty-foot containers) in January 2024, versus 66,637 TEUs in January 2023.

Full exports saw an increase of 9.3%, with 62,596 TEUs in January 2024, compared to 57,279 TEUs in January 2023.

“Imports benefitted from strong consumer demand, as well as the normal seasonal uptick each January prior to factories in Asia closing for the Lunar New Year,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “The increase in export volume can be partially attributed to consumer demand in Asia remaining high for U.S. agricultural exports.”

Empty imports declined 1.1%, with 17,117 TEUs passing through Port facilities in January 2024, in contrast to 17,299 TEUs in January 2023. Empty exports also dropped 24.5%, with the Seaport handling 28,694 TEUs in January 2024, compared to 38,014 TEUs in January 2023.

Wan praised the work of maritime stakeholders at the Port of Oakland and praised the legacy of retiring Pacific Merchant Shipping Association President John McLaurin: “I am confident because our Seaport consists of some of the most innovative, efficient, and dedicated logistics operators in a labor workforce. These include our terminal operators, SSA, Matson, TraPac, along with our ILWU labor partners. I see Trent Willis and Melvin Mackay representing ILWU Local 10 and Stephen Hennessey and Jim McKenna representing the Pacific Maritime Association. With these partners and other partners like our warehouse and distribution operators and truckers represented by Matt Schrap, representing the Harbor Trucking Association (HTA) … our agricultural product and refrigerated product partners … make us … the leading port in the country for agricultural products and refrigerated and frozen products.’

The Port reported that the total commercial value of reefer exports through the Port of Oakland reached $7.1 billion in 2023.

The Port of Oakland “is a premier export gateway for refrigerated products, due in part to its central location on the U.S. West Coast. The Port is often the last US port of call for container ships before they set sail for Asia. Therefore, refrigerated cargo can arrive fresher to overseas markets by leaving from Oakland.”

In 2023, the Port of Oakland’s reefer export volumes increased by 4%, while total U.S. volumes for temperature-sensitive exports declined by 20%. The Port increased its overall market share of reefer exports by 4.1%, from 14.2% to 18.3%.

Top reefer commodities exported from the Port are beef, pork, fruits, dairy products, and vegetables.

“The Port and its partners have made significant investments in state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled facilities over the past seven years, including Cool Port, PCC Logistics and Custom Goods,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “With this additional cargo capacity and value-added services, we have been able to consistently attract the reefer export business.”

Wan cited the work of the Port of Oakland Commission which “is engaged in making our Seaport plan … a land use plan for the Seaport. Specifically, our plan will assess market trends, identify commodity opportunities, evaluate land use scenarios, and transportation, truck parking routes, and explore capital investment sources. We look forward to sharing information once we compile them and get your feedback.”

Wan cited plans to widen the Turning Basin in the Oakland Estuary to accommodate the biggest container ships so as “to reduce delays while decreasing vessel emissions. This project is now in the environmental review phase.”

Late last year, the Port reported, the Biden Administration announced that hydrogen projects at the Port of Oakland were in line for federal and state funding when California was designated as a hydrogen hub and awarded up to $1.2 billion in federal funding for project development.

Construction of a hydrogen fuel station has begun near the Oakland Seaport. It will provide hydrogen trucks that haul cargo with clean, zero-emissions energy. This is just one example of innovative projects that are cleaning the air in and around the Port of Oakland.

Wan emphasized, "2024 is the year we take action to move the Port forward. Modernization will help us grow while reducing our impact on surrounding communities. It is our moment to modernize."