NY-NJ Port Container Volumes Surge 7.9% in Strong Start to 2025

Container volumes at the Port of New York and New Jersey continued their upward trend in
January, marking sustained growth for another year.

The port handled 720,283 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 7.9% year-over-year increase,
according to data from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. This was the port’s third-
highest January total on record, trailing only January 2022’s 765,050 TEUs and January 2021’s
721,284 TEUs.

Growth has been fueled by frontloading of imports ahead of tariffs and potential labor
disruptions, which boosted volumes in 2024. Additionally, importers accelerated shipments in
anticipation of the Lunar New Year, further driving container activity.

Loaded container volumes rose 6.6% year-over-year, from 447,514 TEUs in January 2024 to
476,874 TEUs in January 2025. Meanwhile, empty container volumes surged at a faster pace,
climbing 10.7% from 219,832 TEUs to 243,409 TEUs.

Loaded import TEUs recorded a 10.3% increase, rising from 342,790 in January 2024 to
378,168 in January 2025. However, loaded export TEUs declined 5.7% over the same period,
dropping from 104,724 to 98,706 TEUs.

Despite a slight dip in exports, the port’s overall growth highlights the continued strength of the
region’s trade activity.

With ongoing trade shifts and economic factors influencing shipping patterns, industry analysts
are closely watching whether this momentum will carry through the rest of the year.