Total Volume Surges with Second-Busiest September Ever at Port of NY and NJ

Total Volume Surges with Second-Busiest September Ever at Port of NY and NJ

September followed in August’s footsteps at the Port of New York and New Jersey, revealing double-digit total volume percent increase from last year. Total volume for September, 779,388 TEUs (426,407 containers), was 18 percent higher than the 660,553 TEUs (363,853 containers) recorded in September 2023. It was the second-busiest September ever at the Port of New York and New Jersey, behind only the pandemic-driven cargo surge in 2022. This number brings the port’s year through September total to 6,586,947 TEUs (3,635,271 containers). 

Imports rose by 12.5 percent in September 2024 compared to the previous year, totaling 381,440 TEUs (208,882 containers) compared to 339,033 TEUs (186,994 containers) in September 2023. From January through September, imported loads at the Port of New York and New Jersey reached 3,357,394 TEUs (1,857,035 containers), a 13.5 percent increase from the 2,957,589 TEUs (1,642,028 containers) recorded in the same period of 2023.

A total of 118,632 TEUs (63,714 containers) were exported in September 2024 versus 100,379 TEUs (54,032 containers) in September 2023, representing an 18.2 percent increase in TEU volume. From January through September, the Port of New York and New Jersey exported 1,030,999 TEUs (553,580 containers), a 7.6 percent rise from last year’s 957,931 TEUs (517,866 containers) over the same period.

Export empties increased 26.4 percent, totaling 277,247 TEUs in September 2024 compared to 219,407 TEUs in September 2023. From January through September, export empties totaled 2,179,043 TEUs versus 1,858,240 TEUs in the same period of 2023, an increase of 17.3 percent. Import empties rose 27.1 percent from January through September compared to the previous year.

In September, 52,563 containers were moved by rail at the Port of New York and New Jersey, a 1.9 percent decrease from the previous year’s September figure. Rail volume from January through September 2024 was 3.4 percent greater than in the same period of 2023.

A total of 31,615 autos moved through the Port of New York and New Jersey in September 2024, representing a 15 percent decrease from September 2023. From January through September, auto volume was 4.9 percent greater than in the same period of 2023.

View monthly cargo volume here.