PANYNJ: FIRST HALF OF 2002 SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
The first half of 2002 showed improvement in air cargo volumes entering and leaving the New York/New Jersey region, according to a recent analysis by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
From January to June 2001, the NY/NJ Customs District showed a decrease of 13.71 percent over the same period in the year 2000, registering a total of 617,000 metric tons in cargo volume. However, the first half of 2002 showed a drop of only 7.8 percent (568,000 metric tons) for the same time period.
PANYNJ’s Aviation Department cited these numbers as “a sign that conditions are improving” for its airports — JFK International, LaGuardia, and Newark International.
Both 2001 and 2002 figures refer to the January-June time period of 2000, which registered a total of around 715,000 metric tons handled.
The report showed that during the first half of this year, the value of goods processed through the three airports totaled $58 billion versus the same period in 2001, when the value reported was $69 billion, a 15 percent decline.
PANYNJ’s report shows that of the top 15 airports in the United States, only six showed positive growth during this first six months, while the remaining nine reported declines in air cargo traffic. “The industry continues to hold its breath waiting for the promised turnaround,” said PANYNJ.