Port of Oakland Posts Record Year

The Port of Oakland finished calendar year 2000 as its busiest year ever, showing strong growth in the container market and moving a total of 1,776,922 TEUs, a 6.8% increase over the 1999 totals. The inbound cargo market was particularly robust, with 7.4% growth, while export cargo grew by 3.6%.

Despite economists' concerns of a potential U.S. business slowdown, imports through northern California's largest container port grew by 14.7% in the second half compared to the same period in 1999. August 2000 was Oakland's busiest month ever for import cargoes, and that healthy trend continued throughout the remainder of the year.

Exports, however, showed an unusual and unexpected weakening in the second half and were flat in the final months of the year following a strong first half. Exports are expected to climb during the first months of the new year as northern California's agricultural production is harvested for shipment. Oakland's predictions are for a strong 2001 as a new marine container terminal and new intermodal railyard become operational as part of the Vision 2000 program. The new Hanjin Terminal is scheduled to open this Spring, and will initially feature ninety acres of container yard, two 1,200' berths and four super-Panamax class container cranes.

Construction at the Union Pacific Railyard will be finalized in March with the completion of the new gate complex, while the Joint Intermodal Terminal (JIT) Phase 1 will open mid-year.