BOSTON – The Port of Boston’s Paul W. Conley Container Terminal finished the year with an 11-percent increase in container volume over last year, setting a new record of more than 237,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) moved, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announced. This comes after breaking a fiscal year record at Conley Terminal in 2015.

Conley Terminal handled 237,166 TEUs over the course of the 2015 calendar year, with growth in both import volume and export volume. This surpassed 2014 volume by 11-percent, or nearly 23,000 TEUs. Export volumes increased from 5.4-percent over the prior year, while import volumes climbed even higher, increasing 8.1 percent over 2014.The consistent growth in 2015 can be attributed to the strong regional economy and the higher levels of productivity, both of which make Conley an efficient alternative to other U.S. East Coast ports including those in New Jersey and New York.

The past year also saw the addition of two new container ships from long-time customers Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) calling Conley Terminal. Their ships—MSC Judith and COSCO Napoli respectively—each have capacities over 8,000 TEUs, making them the largest ships to ever call Conley Terminal and demonstrating the imperative need to dredge the Boston Harbor. In 2014 Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and Congressmen Michael Capuano and Stephen F. Lynch successfully secured authorization to dredge the harbor with the passing of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA).

“It’s great to see this record-breaking year at Conley Terminal,” Senator Warren said. “Infrastructure investments like the Boston Harbor Improvement Project are a key part of how we grow our economy and keep Massachusetts competitive, and I’m going to keep working with the rest of the congressional delegation to make sure the federal government is a strong partner for the Commonwealth.”

“The Port of Boston is already an economic anchor for the entire New England region and the growth seen this year demonstrates the port's ability to stay economically competitive, while creating and supporting more jobs.” said Sen. Markey. “I was happy to work with my Massachusetts colleagues on the passage of WRRDA and we are looking forward to harbor improvements that will allow us to accommodate more and larger ships, I extend thanks to Senator Warren, Representatives Capuano and Lynch, and Massport for their commitment to improving the port and achieving record numbers.”

Under the Boston Harbor Improvement Project, the Harbor’s channels and the berths at Conley Terminal will be deepened to accommodate the higher-capacity ships that will call the Port of Boston in the future and will better accommodate the larger ships that currently call Boston. This will allow more imported goods to come directly into the Port of Boston and more New England exports to move out of the Port of Boston, thus helping to support jobs and generate economic impact. Additionally, it will help to lower the environmental impact and congestion associated with moving import and export goods via truck by way of other U.S. East Coast ports.

“Conley Terminal has had a fantastic year, but it is imperative that we continue to push the Boston Harbor Improvement Project forward in order to maintain the momentum that was shown with last year’s record numbers,” said Representative Capuano. “The Port of Boston is a key source of economic activity and, thanks to Massport’s continued leadership; the port continues to flourish.”

“As someone who formerly worked at Conley Terminal, the increased container volume that Conley witnessed last year is a proud accomplishment and a true indicator of the port’s ability to be a global competitor,” said Representative Lynch. “In the long run, the Boston Harbor Improvement Project will benefit the entire New England region as imports and exports continue to grow, and as we attract more customers and support additional jobs.”

Conley Terminal, which is owned and operated by Massport, is the only full-service container terminal in New England and serves eight of the top 20 container lines in the world: Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), “K” Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin, Evergreen, Maersk Line and Hapag-Lloyd. The containerized cargo that passes through Conley Terminal includes seafood, beer and wine, furniture, apparel, and footwear.

“We are very pleased with the steady growth at Conley Terminal over the past several years,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “This milestone would not have been reached if not for the outstanding customer service provided by the hard working men and women at Conley Terminal. We also credit the terminal’s success to the strong relationships with our customers and partners, and to the support and leadership of Senators Warren and Markey, and Congressmen Capuano and Lynch.”

Each year, more than 1.5 million metric tons of cargo passes through Massport’s terminals in the Port of Boston, which provide the shipping facilities New England needs to compete in the global economy. Located in South Boston, Conley Terminal moves New England’s goods to market with speed and efficiency, ensuring that the region’s consumers have the products they need, when they need them.

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