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Last year, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shattered the annual container volume record at its ExpressRail network of ship-to-rail terminals in New Jersey. The facilities handled 283,529 containers, a 22 percent increase compared with 2003's 232,867 units.

Port authority officials attribute the volume growth to rising containerized trade with Asia, the 2003 opening of ExpressRail Newark and completion of the first phase of ExpressRail Elizabeth in October 2004.

"These numbers clearly show that the first stages of our planned $600 million investment in port rail infrastructure has produced positive results," said port authority Chairman Anthony Coscia in a prepared statement. "Today, about 13 percent of our rail traffic is transported off the port by rail, and our goal is to see that number grow to as much as 30 percent."

The port authority plans to expand the ExpressRail system to handle about 1.5 million containers annually. The agency is building dedicated rail facilities for its container terminals, adding support track, constructing ExpressRail Staten Island at Howland Hook Marine Terminal and ExpressRail Corbin Street Intermodal Support Facility, and expanding rail infrastructure on Staten Island.