Port of NY/NJ sees record container volumes in October 2017

Containerized cargo volumes at the largest port on the U.S. East Coast increased 9.2 percent to 588,848 TEUs for the month, making October 2017 the fifth best month in cargo volumes, according to the port authority.    The Port of New York and New Jersey handled 588,848 TEUs of containerized cargo in October 2017, an increase of 9.2 percent compared with the same month last year, the port said Monday.
   The port handled a total of 334,324 containers during the month, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to the 308,605 containers in October 2016.
   So far this year, total container volumes have grown 7.2 percent to 3.2 million units, up from the 2.9 million during the first 10 months of 2016. In addition to setting a new monthly record, October 2017 also ended up as the fifth best month in the port’s history for cargo volume, helping to continue the positive trend seen throughout 2017.
   October import loads grew 5.8 percent year-over-year to 305,729 TEUs, while export loads ticked up 1.3 percent to 121,203 TEUs.
   Year to date in 2017, export loads increased 3.2 percent to 1.1 million TEUs compared with the same 2016 period, and import loads were up 6.4 percent at 2.8 million TEUs. Export empties jumped 24.9 percent for the month and 14.6 percent through October, while import empties declined 16.3 percent for the month and 18.8 percent for the year so far.
   Rail volumes at the port set a record for the most lifts in any month at 51,206 containers in October. It also marks the third time that rail volume is over 50,000 containers, the port said. For the first ten months of the year, rail moves are up 3.8 percent.
   Auto volumes were also up 12.4 percent for the month compared to the prior October at 51,135 units, and up 24.4 percent year to date at 515,323 vehicles handled.