A record amount of container cargo moved through the Port of the Port of New York and New Jersey in the first six months of 2014. The agency attributed the increase to an improving economy and diversion of cargo that would normally move through West Coast ports. Cargo moved from the West Coast because of concerns about the contract between employers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union that expired on July 1.
From January through June, the Port Authority reported that it handled 2,727,554 TEU, a 4-percent increase.
The agency said loaded imports were up 5.4 percent, and empty containers were up 14.3 percent.
ExpressRail, the Port Authority’s ship-to-rail system serving New York and New Jersey marine terminals, recorded a 5.1-percent increase in total lifts through the same period. More than 14 percent of the total port traffic is currently transported by rail.
Record container volumes in Port of New York/New Jersey
