NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY MOVES TO EXPAND SHIP-TO-RAIL TERMINAL

NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY MOVES TO EXPAND SHIP-TO-RAIL TERMINAL    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Wednesday it has hired a contractor, Conti Enterprises, of South Plainfield, N.J., to design and build a larger ExpressRail facility at the Elizabeth, N.J. marine terminal.
   The existing 32-acre ExpressRail terminal, which opened in 1991 and is operated by Maher Terminals, is nearing its capacity.
   The new 70-acre, $20-million facility will be built on the site of the present ExpressRail terminal, which is to remain open during construction. The enlarged facility will be completed during the first quarter of 2004.
   As presently configured, ExpressRail set a new terminal record in 2001, handling 200,854 containers, a 12.8 percent increase over 178,002 containers handled in 2000.
   Through September, ExpressRail’s volumes are up 17 percent over the same period of last year.
   The enlarged ExpressRail terminal be able to handle up to one million containers a year when fully operational.
   “The rail facility will help remove truck traffic from New Jersey’s congested highways,” said New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey.
   Jack G. Sinagra, chairman of the port authority, said, “new investment is needed to meet demands of the modern maritime industry.”