- The Port of New York and New Jersey handled 774,698 TEUs in May 2025, surpassing all other U.S. ports and showing long-term growth.
- East Coast ports outperformed their West Coast counterparts, which saw declines due to tariffs on Chinese goods.
- The PATH commuter rail system recorded its second-busiest month post-pandemic, with a 7% rise in ridership over May 2024.
In May 2025, the Port of New York and New Jersey became the busiest seaport in the United States, processing 774,698 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This volume reflected a 20% increase compared to May 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Although slightly lower—by about 2%—than May 2024’s figures, that decrease was expected, given last year’s unusual spike from diverted cargo after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Nevertheless, the port showed momentum with a 3% rise in volume compared to April 2025, according to Marine Insight.
Strong Year-to-Date Growth Highlights Long-Term Momentum
Between January and May 2025, the port handled 3,729,611 TEUs, marking a 6.5% increase from the same period in 2024 and a 22.6% rise from 2019. These numbers underline the port’s steady long-term expansion and strategic importance in national trade.
East Coast Ports Outperform West Coast Counterparts
The Port of New York and New Jersey outperformed other major U.S. ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, which processed 716,619 and 639,160 TEUs respectively in May. The Port of Savannah, Georgia, also reported strong performance, with 500,900 TEUs in May—its second-highest for the month—continuing a streak of high throughput for three consecutive months.
Tariffs Impacting West Coast Port Performance
West Coast ports have struggled amid increasing tariffs on Chinese goods. The Port of Los Angeles experienced its first decline in cargo volume in 10 months, down 5% compared to May 2024. Long Beach faced a steeper drop of over 8%. Despite this, both ports remain slightly ahead in total TEUs processed in 2025, each handling around 4 million TEUs between January and May—just ahead of New York and New Jersey’s total.
Trade Tensions Begin to Ease with New U.S.-China Agreement
Hope for recovery emerged after the U.S. and China announced a trade framework agreement on June 27, addressing restrictions on technology and rare earth minerals. This development, seen as a de-escalation of ongoing trade tensions, follows earlier negotiations in Geneva and may help revive West Coast port traffic.
PATH Commuter Rail Sees Continued Recovery
The Port Authority’s PATH rail network also saw positive growth, with 5.4 million passengers in May 2025—the second-highest since the pandemic began. This is a 7% increase over May 2024 and represents 75% of pre-pandemic ridership levels from May 2019. Weekday ridership averaged 205,305, maintaining a strong recovery streak, while weekend traffic also impressed. Saturday ridership averaged 122,040 passengers—the second-highest May total—and Sundays averaged 94,616, ranking third-highest for the month.
Five-Month Total Reflects Steady Passenger Growth
From January through May 2025, PATH carried 24.1 million passengers, up 7% from the same timeframe last year. The cumulative ridership now stands at 72% of 2019 levels, indicating a steady and sustained recovery in regional public transit.
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Source: Marine Insight
