Port of New York/New Jersey experiences busy August

In addition, the port authority’s commissioners approved a $3.4 million contract with Hatch Associates Consultants to develop a long range maritime master plan for future growth.    As the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported its marine terminals saw high volumes of cargo August, the agency’s commissioners voted Thursday to award a $3.4 million contract to develop a long range maritime master plan for future growth.
   Hatch Associates Consultants Inc. will develop a plan covering more than 3,000 acres of cargo facilities in order to better evaluate and plan for future growth, improve operations, and enhance revenue and job creation opportunities. It is the first comprehensive master plan ever undertaken for the Port of New York and New Jersey.
   During the month of August, the port handled 585,327 TEUs of containerized cargo, a 1.9 percent increase from August 2015. In the first eight months of 2016, the port has handled 4.16 million TEUs, a 2.3 percent drop from the first eight months of 2015.
   When compared to August 2015, loaded import containers during the month rose 6.5 percent to 304,274 TEUs, empty import containers slipped 1.5 percent to 1,926 TEUs, loaded export containers ticked up 3.1 percent to 118,306 TEUs, and empty export containers fell 6.5 percent to 160,821 TEUs.
   It was the port’s busiest August ever, and the second highest monthly total ever, trailing behind July 2015, when the port handled 588,918 TEUs.
   The port also also set a record at its on-dock rail terminal, handling 49,628 containers in August, 9 percent more than in August 2015.
   Meanwhile, the port handled 41,931 automobiles in August, 2.3 percent fewer than in the same month last year. However, for the first eight months of the year, the port handled 329,945 automobiles, a 7 percent increase from the corresponding period in 2015.