In May, the port handled 191,368 TEUs, an increase of 12,784 units, or 7.2 percent, when compared with May 2012. Export TEUs tallied 103,217 and import TEUs were 88,150, an increase of 5.4 and 9.3 percent, respectively.
For the calendar year, volumes are running 6.3 percent ahead of where they were during the first five months of 2012: 878,412 TEUs vs. 826,297 TEUs, a difference of 52,115 units.
“In a historical comparison, May was the fourth best month in our history in terms of TEU volume,” said Rodney W. Oliver, the Virginia Port Authority’s interim executive director. “On a fiscal year-to-date basis, the eleven months of fiscal 2013, through May, add up to be the best fiscal-year performance in our history. We’re expecting this to continue as more ocean carriers are expressing interest in our deep water and rail connections.”
May highlights:
• The port set a new record for rail boxes handled in a single month with 39,152 containers moving by rail in May. The port exceeded the previous rail volume record of 37,478 rail boxes from November 2012.
• The percent of container cargo moving via rail also reached a new high in May at 35.3%.
• Top months and corresponding volumes in port history: 192,905 TEUs in August 2007; 199,448 TEUs in October 2007; 198,720 TEUs in November 2012; and 191,368 in May 2013.
Calendar year TEU totals, 2013 vs. 2012:
• May 2013 = 191,368
• May 2012 = 178,584
• April 2013 = 179,370
• April 2012 = 169,644
• March 2013 = 179,518
• March 2012 = 166,719
• February 2013 = 169,390
• February 2012 = 157,050
• January 2013 = 158,766
• January 2012 = 154,300