Car volumes increase 38.8% percent in February of 2015 compared with 2014 levels.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said its terminals handled 445,285 TEUs of containerized cargo in February, a new record for the month, and a 13.8 percent increase from February 2014. The prior February record was 429,904 TEUs in 2012.
During the first two months of 2015, cargo volumes are running 10.6 percent ahead of the same period in 2014.
Container shipping by ExpressRail, the port’s on-dock intermodal rail terminal, also set a monthly record for February with 35,818 containers of all sizes moving by rail, compared to the previous record set in February 2012 when 34,482 containers were handled. The amount of port cargo handled by rail now represents 14 percent of the port’s total cargo volumes.
During the first two months of 2015, the port handled 67,345 vehicles, 38.8 percent more than in the first two months last year.
“The increase is due to efforts by port tenant FAPS to attract new auto business and the Port Authority’s Auto Incentive Program, which was launched a year ago to provide subsidies to new and existing auto business in the port. The biggest increases were reported by Ford, up 161.9 percent from 3,156 to 8,265 vehicles handled, and Nissan, up 58.5 percent from 7,992 to 12,665 vehicles handled,” the port said.