The Port of New York and New Jersey was the nation’s busiest cargo gateway in May 2025. The port handled 774,698 TEUs (425,876 containers), showing strong resilience through its diversified supply lines despite tariff-related uncertainties across the supply chain. From January through May, the port handled 3,729,611 TEUs (2,053,847 containers). This was an increase of 6.5 percent over the same period of 2024. May 2025’s volume represented a 2 percent decline from the 790,758 TEUs (439,593 containers) recorded in May 2024, when the port was absorbing additional cargo volume following the collapse of the Key Bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore.

May was a double-digit month for rail volume. A total of 66,842 containers moved through the port, representing a 22.3 percent increase from the previous year. Rail volume from January through May was 10.2 percent greater than in the same period of 2024.

A total of 34,437 autos moved through the Port of New York and New Jersey in May, representing a 1.3 percent increase compared to May 2024. From January through May, auto volume was 10.2 percent lower than in the same period of 2024.

Imports (TEUs) declined 7.6 percent in May compared to the same month in the previous year, totaling 382,217 TEUs (210,991 containers) versus 413,833 TEUs (230,108 containers). From January through May, imports at the Port of New York and New Jersey totaled 1,886,285 TEUs (1,042,358 containers), representing a 5.3 percent increase from the same period in 2024, when they reached 1,791,956 TEUs (996,228 containers). Import empties decreased by 31.7 percent for the period from January through May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

Exports (TEUs) increased by 3.8 percent in May, totaling 129,565 TEUs (69,550 containers) compared to 124,801 TEUs (67,271 containers) in May 2024. Export loads from January to May reached 592,342 TEUs (317,042 containers), a 3.8 percent increase from the 570,901 TEUs (306,219 containers) recorded during the same period in 2024. Export empties increased by 4.5 percent, totaling 261,200 TEUs in May versus 250,070 TEUs in May 2024. Export empties increased by 10.2 percent from January through May 2025, totaling 1,243,572 TEUs compared to 1,127,973 TEUs in the same period of 2024. 

View monthly cargo volume here.