Port of New York and New Jersey posts record Q1 cargo volume

Cargo volume through the Port of New York and New Jersey rose 6.7 percent in the first quarter, continuing a streak of record-setting months, port officials said Tuesday.

The port handled 1.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first three months of the year and also set a new first-quarter record for cargo handled by rail, port officials said.

During March, the port handled a record 585,083 TEUs, a four percent increase over the previous March record, set in 2018. Port officials said the March 2019 cargo growth was bolstered by a 12-percent increase in export containers compared to last March. The port set a new March record for cargo handled by rail, as well, moving 58,877 containers, up 11 percent compared with the year-ago period.

Officials said the record volume allowed the port to maintain its position as the busiest on the East Coast.