Posted on January 25, 2018
The Port of Oakland reports that 2017 was the busiest year in its 90-year history. The Port said it handled the equivalent of 2.42 million 20-foot containers last year. That broke the previous record of 2.39 million containers set in 2014.
The Port said it broke two more records in 2017 with 919,523 loaded import containers and 1.85 million combined imports and exports. The port said import growth drove its record performance. It reported that imports increased 4 percent in 2017 over 2016 totals. December imports were up 6.4 percent over the same month in 2016.
The Port attributed the import rally to a strong U.S. economy and increasing consumer demand for retail products.
“Our record-setting 2017 has set the stage for the future,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “With new development projects already underway, we expect to increase our capacity and drive greater volume.”
The Port said it expects Cool Port Oakland – a 280,000 square-foot temperature-controlled distribution center – to open late summer. It projects that the clearinghouse for agricultural exports will handle about 30,000 containers full of chilled and frozen meat products annually. The Port said work on its 440,000-square-foot Seaport Logistics Complex could begin by spring.
Source: Port of Oakland
