Capping off a year of “uneven global trade conditions,” the Port of Oakland handled 179,580 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) in December 2025, marking a slight 1.7% decrease from year-over-year totals.

Growth in exports offset soft import numbers, as loaded imports declined 12.8%, while loaded exports increased 10.9%, the port said.

“December reflected the kind of uneven performance we’ve seen across the industry, with softer imports and strong export activity,” Bryan Brandes, Port of Oakland Maritime Director, said in a release. “That difference is more about timing and adjustment than any fundamental change in demand.”

Likewise, port leaders said a slight dip in container volume for the full calendar year of 2025 marked “a notable outcome amid ongoing economic and policy uncertainty.” The prt handled 2,253,976 TEUs, finishing the year essentially flat (-0.4%) compared to 2024.

“In an environment defined by uncertainty, maintaining stability matters,” Brandes said. “Our focus throughout the year was on keeping cargo moving reliably and predictably, ensuring customers could continue to move goods efficiently as trade conditions shifted.”