The Port of Oakland, Calif., handled 2.394 million 20-foot-equivalent containers, breaking the record of 2.391 million boxes moved in 2006. A 20% surge in December loaded import containers contributed to the record performance, according to the port.

“An unprecedented series of events has brought us to this point,” said Port Maritime Director John Driscoll.

Overall container volume, imports and exports, increased 2% in 2014. Import volume for the year increased 5.29%.

According to port officials three factors contributed to the cargo surge: stronger U.S. demand for Asian manufactured goods, cargo diversions from congested Southern California ports and its own marketing efforts. Also a freight backlog at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach rerouted thousands of containers to northern California facility. Last month Oakland handled 74,356 loaded import containers, the most since May 2014.

However, the port said the big buildup has temporarily slowed cargo throughput with a labor dispute between West Coast waterfront employers and dockworkers magnifying the slowdown.

Ten-to-fifteen ships are anchored in San Francisco Bay daily awaiting berths at Oakland marine terminals, the port said, while some truckers report waits of several hours to pick up cargo. The condition is expected to persist until labor and management agree on a new contract.

The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S., according to the port.

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