'The Port of Boston had a terrific year showing double-digit growth in both cruise and containers,' said Mike Leone Port Director for Massport. 'Customers are looking for more cost effective, reliable, and environmentally-friendly ways to move goods, therefore we are starting to see more freight moving by all-water. With respect to cruise passengers, we benefited from a 25% increase in scheduled ship calls and larger vessels. This increased business demonstrates Boston is an attractive destination to connect vacationers with leisure, and a great location to homeport cruise ships.'
In 2006, total container volume at Massport's Conley Terminal in South Boston was 220,341 teus. Total tonnage was 1,715,680 short tons. The record-breaking volume of containers is fueled by a rise in cargo activity with Asia that has rocketed since 2002. Also contributing to the growth was the completion of a two-year $28 million upgrade to the terminal. The project, which started in July 2005 and was completed in June 2007, added new equipment, and expanded the capacity of the terminal by 50% even though the 100-acre footprint of the terminal was not changed. The terminal's improved efficiency allows trucks coming in and out to deliver and receive containers faster. In 2007, 'turn-time' at the gate averaged 39 minutes as compared to 56 minutes in 2005.
The Port of Boston's vessel and cargo activity supports 34,000 jobs, and contributes more than $2 billion to the local, regional, and national economies through direct, indirect, and induced impact.
The Port of Boston's imports include: alcoholic beverages, frozen seafood, footwear and furniture. Top exports include: hides and skins, autos, logs and lumber, frozen seafood, recycled paper, and metal ware.