Total volume fell slightly in August, reflecting a shift from the surge driven by importers trying to beat rising tariffs and fuel surcharges the previous year. Total volume for August was 789,875 TEUs (429,757 containers), down 5.5% from 835,845 TEUs (455,904 containers) in August 2025. This number brings our year-through-August total to 5,983,310 TEUs (3,272,395 containers). 

By The Numbers

Imports (TEUs) decreased 2.9% in August compared to the previous year, with 404,080 TEUs (220,793 containers) and 416,009 TEUs (227,975 containers). From January through August, the Port of New York and New Jersey imported 3,025,601 TEUs (1,660,809 containers), down 1.4% from 3,069,537 TEUs (1,694,332 containers) recorded in the same period of 2025. 

Exports for August totaled 118,417 TEUs (63,314 containers) versus 127,552 TEUs (68,493 containers) the previous year, a 7.2% decrease. From January through August, the Port of New York and New Jersey exported 942,028 TEUs (503,450 containers), a 2.1% decline from the 962,116 TEUs (515,699 containers) accrued in the same period of 2025.

Export empties fell 8.5% to 265,653 TEUs in August, down from 290,356 TEUs in August 2025. Export empties totaled 2,000,050 TEUs from January through August, down 0.2% from 2,003,629 TEUs in the same period in 2025. Import empties rose 29% from January through August compared to the previous year. 

Rail volume fell 9.8% from the previous year’s August figure to 55,028 containers. Rail volume January through August was 4.1% lower than in the same period of 2025.

A total of 31,225 autos moved through the Port of New York and New Jersey in August, down 6.8% from August 2025. Auto volume for January through August was 8.1% less than in the same period of the previous year.

View monthly cargo volume here.