Port Traffic Metrics: Oakland, Redwood City

Port of Oakland Cargo Up 6 Percent from a Year Ago

The Port of Oakland reports container volumes through June totaled 1,152,608 TEUs, a 6.0 percent increase from the first half 2015.  

Loaded containers (import and export) alone rose 10.1 percent to 892,379 TEUs. Imports accounted for 49 percent and exports for 51 percent of the port’s container flow.

"These container statistics are encouraging in light of the current state of volatility within the global maritime industry," said Maritime Director John Driscoll. "We are continuing to grow – a sign of the robust regional economy in Northern California and also of strong agricultural exports."

The June data show declines from last year for both loaded (-2.2 percent) and total containers (-4.6 percent), largely due to an approximately 15 percent drop in empty container movements. The port also noted a drop in exports due to reduced shipments of scrap and waste paper.

Redwood City Cargo Movement Third Highest in Past 10 Years

The Port of Redwood City reports handling 1,637,682 metric tons during the fiscal year ending June 30. It's still the port’s third highest volume in the past 10 years, thanks to continuing strong demand in Silicon Valley and the South Bay for construction materials and particularly the high quality sand and aggregates shipped to the port from British Columbia.

Imported sand accounted 45.5 percent of the tonnage total. Other cargos included scrap metal (29.4 percent), bauxite ore (4.2 percent), gypsum rock (4.4 percent), domestic sand (1.6 percent) and ground iron slag (0.5 percent).

"The high quality for construction of the sand and gravel aggregates from British Columbia combined with the dwindling supply of these materials in Northern California because quarries are unable to expand, triggered a strong demand from which the port benefited," said Executive Director Michael J. Giari.

The sand and aggregates are used to produce concrete. Self-discharging bulk carriers owned by Canadian Steamship Lines transport the cargo to Redwood City from an Eagle Rock Aggregates quarry on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.

As for vessel traffic, Redwood City received 56 ships and 41 barges in FY 2015-16, compared to 58 ships and 38 barges in FY 2014-15.