China's COVID port shutdown slows traffic at Port Of Oakland

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- While China has begun easing its COVID shutdown in Shanghai, the economic ripples have continued to impact business at the busy Port of Oakland.

Cargo volume is down. Port officials reported Friday that total volume through April dropped 7 percent from the same period a year ago.

Containerized import loads through Oakland fell 17 percent last month while exports sagged 18 percent. 

Port officials attributed much of the decline to factory and port shutdowns in China, Oakland's largest trade partner. Port officials said disruption at Shanghai is delaying U.S.-bound import shipments.

Cargo volume at the Port of Shanghai, the world's busiest, is down 30%. Economists say foreign customers are looking for non-Chinese suppliers that might be more likely to deliver but charge more.  

"U.S. exports have been hampered by vessel schedules thrown into disarray in China," said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. "Most of Oakland's business depends on the Asia-U.S. trade route." 

Port officials said cargo flow has also been affected by additional factors including --  a drop in the number of ships stopping in Oakland; importers slow to retrieve shipments and a container shortage making it harder to load export shipments. 

Oakland said relief may be on the way for harried supply chains. Shanghai cargo activity has recently picked up. Port officials were also  talking to shipping lines about increasing the number of vessel calls.   

During the peak of port congestion in 2021, as many as 30 ships were waiting to enter an Oakland berth. Today, containerships number from one to a few waiting to do load or unload.