Port of Boston cargo up 10% at Conley Terminal

Port of Boston cargo up 10% at Conley Terminal    The Port of Boston reported Thursday that cargo container volume at its Conley Terminal for the first six months of 2005 increased 10 percent over the same period in 2004, continuing a trend that has seen volume rise 45 percent since 2002.
   The port said an 18-month plan to increase capacity at the Conley Terminal will result in its ability to handle 50 percent more cargo.
   The construction project involves realigning the yard to optimize efficiencies, the purchase of eight new rubber tire gantry cranes, repaving to allow for greater container stacking and repositioning the chassis pool and maintenance and repair functions to a nearby site.
   Within the last three years, the port welcomed its first direct ocean carrier service from the Far East as well as a second direct call from Europe. The weekly Far East Asia service is headed by COSCO and partners, 'K' Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping lines. Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) serves Boston with two weekly calls from northern and southern Europe.
   In recent years, the Massachusetts Port Authority has added a modern gate facility and new electronic cargo tracking to system allow truckers to minimize their time spent on the terminal. Recently, increased refrigeration and storage units were added to accommodate the high volume of refrigerated cargo imported and exported through Boston.