Measures taken at the Port of NY & NJ to handle increasing container volume

The Port of New York and New Jersey handled record-breaking container volume in August and September, and that trend is expected to continue for October and the rest of the year.

Surging freight volumes are attributed to several effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including retailers replenishing depleted stocks, a transition to the “stay at home” economy, and inventory management strategies that incorporate more “just-in-case” stock levels.

A busy, robust port offers a glimmer of hope during these difficult times, leading to increased economic activity and the creation of more jobs. As we look forward, and with an eye on maintaining the integrity of the supply, our port partners and stakeholders continue to work diligently to manage the strong volume levels, taking extra measures to keep the supply chain fluid.

These efforts include:

• Keeping marine terminals open on holidays.
• Adding extra hours of operation on nights and weekends.
• Infusing extra chassis into the network.
• Working overtime to keep chassis units roadworthy.
• Adding empty rail cars into the intermodal network, including adding additional trains.