Report: N.Y.-N.J. port gains eroded by security costs

Report: N.Y.-N.J. port gains eroded by security costs    An independent report prepared for the New York Shipping Association, a group of shipping companies, terminal operators and stevedores, said increased security costs in the port of New York and New Jersey since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have reduced gains due to rising imports.
   Still, the number of jobs at the port's terminals has increased 29 percent since 2001, to 20,947 in 2004 from 16,232 in 2000, the report said. Cargo volume through the port has increased 27 percent to 99.9 million tons in 2004 from 78.6 million tons in 2000.
   Terminals in the port have hired about 300 security workers to screen cargo and personnel. The actual number of working stevedores has declined slightly to 2,495. On average, stevedores in the port of New York and New Jersey earn $87,000 a year.
   The report estimated that jobs in the port resulted directly and indirectly in $12.6 billion in income annually, and created $5.8 billion in taxes. The association's study was conducted by researchers at Rutgers University and by A. Strauss-Wieder, a consulting firm in Westfield, N.J.
   The New York Shipping Association is based in Iselin, N.J.