Port of NY/NJ sees record box volumes in May

Cargo volumes at the largest port on the U.S. East Coast increased 6.7 percent over the same period last year, making May 2017 one of the top five months ever recorded, according to the port authority.    The Port of New York and New Jersey handled 565,052 TEUs of containerized cargo in May 2017, a new all-time record for the month, according to the port authority.
   The port handled a total of 325,373 containers for the month, an increase of 6.7 percent over volumes in May 2016, in which the port handled 304,978 containers (525,048 TEUs).
   During May 2017, import loads rose 4.8 percent to 283,466 TEUs (163,367 containers) from the previous May. Export loads were up 2.8 percent to 119,287 TEUs (66,520 containers).
   According to the port, the May 2017 cargo volumes have kept the port on pace for a record year and were among the top five months ever recorded in the port. The highest monthly total ever recorded was July 2015, when 339,601 containers were handled, said the port.
   Through the first five months of 2017 cargo volumes in the Port of New York and New Jersey have increased 4.9 percent to 2.65 million TEUs compared with the same 2016 period.
   The port authority’s ExpressRail system handled 48,287 containers in May 2017, up 5.4 percent from the 45,804 containers handled in May 2016. 
   Through May, auto volumes also were up 5.7 percent to 42,656 compared to the year prior.