By Karen Robes Meeks
Export cargo at the Port of Oakland rose 2.4 percent in the first half of 2019, compared to the first six months of 2018.
Port officials attributed the rise to double-digit increases of exports to South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, filling the gap left by China, the port’s biggest trading partner.
Exports to China fell 17 percent, the equivalent of 14,000 20-foot cargo containers this year, a result of Chinese tariffs on US goods. However, shipments to South Korea rose by 10,000, Japan by 7,000 and Taiwan by 3,000.
“This is testament to the resilience and ingenuity of our customers,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “They’re finding the means to overcome debilitating trade barriers.”
