Port of New York & New Jersey H1 2026: Throughput Reaches 4.4 Million TEUs as Road Traffic Sets New Records

During the first six months of 2026, the Port of New York and New Jersey (PNYNJ) processed a total of 4.43 million TEUs, remaining broadly flat compared with the same period last year. The latest report from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey presents a comprehensive picture of regional transport activity, covering seaport operations, road freight movements, aviation, and the PATH rail network.

Seaport Operations: Strong Growth Driven by an Early Peak Season

June saw a significant rebound in cargo activity, with the port handling 769,422 TEUs, an increase of 11.9% compared with June 2025.

Looking more closely at cargo composition, loaded container volumes reached 503,016 TEUs, up 7.6% year-on-year.
 
This performance reinforced New York and New Jersey’s position as the second-busiest gateway in the United States for loaded container traffic.

According to the Port Authority, the sharp increase was largely driven by an earlier-than-usual peak shipping season and a wave of front-loaded cargo shipments. Adjustments in U.S. trade policies also influenced the timing of global cargo flows.

Road Freight Traffic Reaches Historic Highs

The surge in maritime cargo activity quickly translated into heavier demand on the region’s road transport network:

●    June record: June 2026 became the busiest month in the Port Authority’s history in terms of truck traffic. Approximately 795,000 eastbound truck crossings were recorded across the agency’s bridges and tunnels, representing an 8.5% increase compared with the same month last year.

●    Half-year performance: During the first half of 2026, the Port Authority’s six major vehicular crossings handled a total of 58 million eastbound vehicle trips, a slight decline of 1.5% compared with H1 2025.

Aviation Faces Pressure from Macroeconomic Factors

The Port Authority’s airport network handled 67 million passengers during the first six months of 2026, down 2% year-on-year.

This decline was mainly attributed to two factors:

●    Macroeconomic uncertainty and fluctuations in oil prices, which affected airline ticket costs.

●    The suspension of operations by Spirit Airlines in May, which had an immediate impact on domestic passenger traffic at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

By market segment, international passenger traffic declined by 4% in H1 2026. Domestic travel, however, showed greater resilience, with passenger numbers rising 1% in June and edging up 0.4% during the second quarter.

Airport performance included:

●    Newark Liberty International Airport: Handled 22.8 million passengers in the first half of the year, up 3% year-on-year, with June alone posting a solid 5% increase.

●    John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Passenger volumes declined by 5% during the six-month period.

●    LaGuardia Airport: Served 15.3 million passengers, down 3% compared with the same period last year.

PATH Rail Delivers the Strongest Post-Pandemic Recovery

The PATH commuter rail network carried 31.4 million passengers during the first half of 2026, an increase of 7.5% year-on-year. This marked the highest half-year passenger volume recorded since 2020.

●    June peak: Ridership reached 5.9 million passengers, making June the busiest month for the PATH system since March 2020. The highest single-day total was recorded on 18 June, when 252,272 passengers used the network, coinciding with the New York Knicks championship parade.

●    Weekend records: Average Saturday ridership reached a record 144,391 passengers, while average Sunday ridership climbed to 114,146 passengers. Both figures were more than 25% higher than those recorded in June 2019 and June 2025. On weekdays, average ridership remained strong at 222,812 passengers per day.

The first-half results highlight the resilience of the Port of New York and New Jersey’s integrated transport ecosystem, where growth in maritime cargo activity continues to generate wider impacts across road, aviation, and rail networks.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Container News)

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