Tariffs Drive 'Market Recalibration' at Port of Oakland in June

The Port of Oakland reported a 12.8% year-over-year dip in container volumes in June, as the Bay Area shipping hub dealt with softening demand and ongoing tariff uncertainty.

"This is not a seasonal dip, but a market recalibration," said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. "Importers and exporters are adjusting their supply chain timing and routing decisions in response to evolving conditions."

According to a July 17 release, the Port of Oakland handled more than 168,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in June, down roughly 10% from May. The port also saw a 16.3% year-over-year dip in TEU imports and a 10.3% decline in exports, as well as a 10.5% decrease in total vessel calls for the month, as carriers looked to consolidate freight volumes across fewer sailings. 

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) — which includes the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma — experienced a similar slowdown for much of June, with total container volumes falling by nearly 15% year-over-year for the month, and international imports dipping by more than 27%. However, the NWSA had one of its best weeks of the year for imports in the closing week of the month, marked by a 20% increase over 2025's Q1 weekly average.

At the Port of Los Angeles, a so-called "whip-saw effect" on trade driven by Trump administration tariffs led to the busiest June in the 117-year history of the port, with imports jumping 32% from May and 8% year-over-year. Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka in a July 14 briefing warned that, despite those figures, continued tariff concerns will likely lead to a dip in container volumes for the latter half of the year.