The Port of Oakland moved 188,517 TEUs in September 2026, a 5.4% jump on September 2025, with both sides of the loaded box trade growing and imports snapping a two-month losing streak.

Loaded imports reached 82,975 TEUs, up 9.6% year-on-year and reversing the declines Oakland recorded in July and August. Loaded exports came in at 63,299 TEU, up 5.3% — their third consecutive month of month-on-month growth. Combined loaded volume rose 7.7%.

Empties tell a quieter story. Empty container volume fell 2.0% year-on-year to 42,243 TEUs, a signal that repositioning flows, not surplus equipment shuffling, carried the month.

Vessel activity backed the numbers up. Oakland logged 88 calls in September, up 7.3% on the year, and total container volume rose 8.5% against August alone. Carriers put more steel on the berth face, and the boxes followed.

Acting Director of Maritime Jason Garben called the September results encouraging, pointing to growth in both import and export directions. He said the port would keep its focus on "reliable and efficient service" while working with terminal operators and ocean carriers to strengthen Oakland's competitive position and attract additional cargo.

What does this change for shippers?

One strong month doesn't cancel a soft year. Through the first nine months of 2026, Oakland has handled 1,656,999 TEUs, down 3.5% against the same window in 2025. The details underneath matter:

• Loaded imports: 706,177 TEU year-to-date, down 3.1%
• Loaded exports: 590,434 TEU, up 0.7%
• Combined loaded volume: down 1.4% year-to-date
• Empty movements: down 10.4%

So the September print marks a genuine inflection rather than noise: imports grew, exports extended their run, and empties kept shrinking, which usually means equipment is finding homes rather than piling up. For Bay Area importers, the July-August dip looks like a pause, not a trend. For exporters — particularly agricultural and perishable shippers who route through Oakland — three straight months of sequential loaded-export growth suggests steadier box availability and more predictable sailing options heading into the fourth quarter.

For carriers and forwarders, the 7.3% rise in vessel calls says deployment into Oakland has thickened, and Garben's pledge to work with terminal operators and ocean lines signals the port is chasing incremental cargo, not just defending what it has. That competition matters in a Northern California gate where shippers can and do divert to Los Angeles/Long Beach or Seattle-Tacoma when service slips.

The mechanism behind the rebound is straightforward. Import demand firmed, carriers added calls, terminals turned the bigger volumes, and both loaded directions grew. Whether it holds depends on whether the fourth quarter sustains the import recovery that September delivered — if it does, Oakland closes the 3.5% year-to-date gap; if not, 2026 still finishes in the red.