The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announced that cargo activity at Conley Container Terminal increased by 7.3% in 2006 to 200,113 total teu. Total tonnage was 1,555,313 short tons. The most significant container growth was led by Massport's five-year-old Asian service between Boston and ports in China provided by China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) and its partners 'K' Line, Yang Ming Line, and Hanjin with a 13% increase in volume (64,685 total teu in 2005 to 73,061 total teu in 2006).
Conley Container Terminal has seen growth every year since 2001, with gains being attributed to improved productivity, new all-water services calling Boston, and increased cargo volume from Asia. The consistent growth in Boston's maritime trade with Asia was a key factor behind the launching of Boston's first-ever direct air cargo link with Asia, which began today with a three-time per week service to Shanghai from Boston Logan International Airport on Yangtze River Express.
Highlights include:
- Containerized inbound cargo increased by 8% from 2005, totaling 92,949 teu.
- Containerized export cargo was up 7%, totaling 66,041 teu.
- The movement of empty containers sent to overseas destinations to be refilled with import cargoes rose by 13%.
- 178,137 trucks moved in and out of Conley Terminal, an average of 715 trucks per day, marking a 6% increase over 2005.
- Vessel productivity, measuring how efficiently Massport loads and unloads ships, increased by 4% from 2005, achieving an average of 26 container moves per crane per hour.
- In December 2006, the Port of Boston welcomed global carrier CMA-CGM with a new direct service from North Europe.
- The Port of Boston is also served twice weekly by Mediterranean Shipping Company on its services from Europe and the Mediterranean.
- China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) and its partners, 'K' Line, Yang Ming Line, and Hanjin call Boston weekly, providing direct service between Boston and ports in China.
- Columbia Coastal Transport provides a weekly barge service between Boston and New York carrying containers from many other steamship lines moving cargo into and out of New England from various trade lanes.
'The strength of the New England market and the commitment of the trade community here make Boston an attractive port for steamship lines. Massport's continued efforts to improve efficiency, and productivity has increased opportunities for importers and exporters to connect directly to the global marketplace from the Port of Boston,' said Mike Leone, Port Director for the Massachusetts Port Authority. 'Looking ahead, Massport is striving to attract a new service via the Suez Canal that will connect Boston with Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East.'
As a result of consistent growth at the Port of Boston, Massport is in the final stages of its $25 million expansion project at Conley Container Terminal that will increase container handling capacity by 50% within the same 100-acre footprint of land. The new configuration will be more efficient with a higher and wider stacking capacity. New, reinforced concrete runways will support eight new rubber-tire gantry cranes (RTGs) providing improved services to steamship lines and New England's trade-dependent companies. Anticipated completion is summer 2007.
To further underscore its commitment to mitigation of environmental impact, Massport has implemented a comprehensive environmental management system at Conley Terminal, making it one of the first terminals in the country to be ISO 14001 Certified, ensuring the facility operates in an environmentally responsible manner.
The Port of Boston is the largest port serving the New England region. Top imports include: alcoholic beverages, frozen seafood, footwear and furniture, while top exports include: hides and skins, autos, logs and lumber, frozen seafood, paper and paper ware including waste paper, a
