PANYNJ April port volume returned to a steadier pattern in April after cargo activity at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey rose sharply in March.

Container terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey
A container ship and terminal operations at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Photo: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

PANYNJ April port volume declines year over year

PANYNJ handled 54,538 containers by rail in April⁠. That was 8.5% below the level recorded in April 2025. Still, rail volume for the first four months of 2026 remained 2.5% higher than in the same period of 2025.

Total cargo moving through the port’s terminals reached 688,163 TEUs in April, down 8.4% from a year earlier. For January through April, terminal volume amounted to 2,865,857 TEUs, a 3% decrease.

Imports fall as exports rise through four months

April imports also declined. The port recorded 340,365 import TEUs for the month, 12% lower year over year. Import loads for the first four months totaled 1,429,610 TEUs, down 4.3%.

Export volumes showed a smaller April decline of 0.4%. Across the first four months of 2026, however, exports were up 6.4%.

Archive view of Port Newark in New Jersey
Archive photo of Port Newark, part of the Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal. Photo: Doc Searls / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Rail volume is part of the port’s wider inland access system. PANYNJ says the port’s four on- and near-dock ExpressRail facilities connect with CSX and Norfolk Southern and extend access to inland markets. The agency also said in 2026 that it is investing in the ExpressRail buildout at Port Newark and Port Elizabeth to move more cargo by freight rail to the Midwest, New England and eastern Canada instead of by diesel truck.

Rail access at the port is provided through direct on-dock service by CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway at the ExpressRail Terminals⁠. New York New Jersey Rail also supports the port with local freight service.