THE peak season is off to a record start at the Port of Oakland with laden import boxes up 9.2 per cent year on year to 85,166 TEU in August, said the port authority after its busiest August in history. The August-through-October period is traditionally the high-water mark for container shipping. It's the time of year when US retailers stock shelves for holiday merchandising, reported the American Journal of Transportation. "We're encouraged by the solid start to peak season, but there's still uncertainty in the trade environment," said Port of Oakland maritime director John Driscoll. "Let's see what the next few months bring." The previous record for August imports was set in 2015 with 82,492 TEU. The port attributed the gains to strong US consumer spending at the beginning of peak season. For the first eight months of 2018, Oakland's total cargo volume - which includes imports, exports, and empty containers, is up 3.3 per cent. If the trend holds, the port would break its all-time cargo volume record for the third consecutive year.