advertisement

---

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s ExpressRail ship-to-rail terminals have set a container volume record for the second-straight year. In 2006, the on-dock facilities handled an all-time-high 338,882 containers, an 11.8 percent increase compared with 2005, when the previous record of 303,032 containers was set.

During the past seven years, the number of containers moved by rail from the terminals has shot up 113 percent.

Because container volume is growing, the authority has accelerated plans to expand rail infrastructure, including work at the ExpressRail Elizabeth and ExpressRail Port Newark terminals, which will be completed by 2011.

By March, the authority expects to complete projects designed to expand capacity by an additional 600,000 containers annually. At ExpressRail Port Newark, the agency is building 7,200 linear feet of storage track to double the terminal’s capacity to more than 100,000 containers.

In addition, a recently completed rail facility at Staten Island’s Howland Hook terminal will handle 100,000 containers annually after operations begin later this year.

The authority also has partnered with railroads to eliminate pinch points leading into the on-dock terminals, said Port Authority Port Commerce Director Richard Larrabee in a prepared statement.