The Port of New York and New Jersey continued its upward trend for cargo volumes by setting new monthly records in overall volume and rail lifts while trumping last year’s overall volumes for the month of May.

Overall lifts for May 2015 were recorded at 322,681, or 12.1 percent better than overall lifts recorded in May 2014. This number sets a new monthly record for the port, which, year-to-date is ahead of 2014 volumes by 11.4 percent.

With 162,851 lifts, May’s import loads outperformed import loads in May 2014 by 12.7 percent. Year-to-date import loads lead the same period for 2014 by 11.7 percent.

At 70,995 lifts, May 2015 export loads showed signs of minor slowing, falling .9 percent behind export loads for May 2014. However, year-to-date export loads for 2015 still top the same period for 2014 by .1 percent while export empties stayed strong, topping last May’s volumes by 23.9 percent (87,029 lifts). Export empties are up 23 percent year-to-date.

The port set another monthly record by logging 44,663 rail lifts in May 2015. This figure tops rail lifts in May 2014 by 17.1 percent. Year to date rail volumes exceed those logged in May 2014 by 14.1 percent.

Autos also showed considerable strength in May 2015, beating tallies for May 2014 by 37.6 percent. Year to date, auto volumes are up 30.5 percent.