Port Operations Glossary – Port Authority of NY & NJ
Key Performance Metrics
- Turn Times: The amount of time a truck spends inside a marine terminal to complete a transaction (measured in minutes).
- Single Moves (Mins): The average time required for a truck to complete a single transaction, such as picking up or dropping off one container.
- Double Moves (Mins): The average time required for a truck to complete two transactions in a single terminal visit (e.g., dropping off one container and picking up another).
- Total Moves (Units): The total number of container transactions completed at the port terminals during the reporting period.
- Number of Trouble Tickets: Exceptions or issues requiring special handling or resolution during terminal operations.
- Unique Truck Visits: The total number of individual truck entries to port terminals during the reporting period.
- Terminal Departure Dwell (Days): The average number of days a container remains at a marine terminal after vessel discharge until it leaves via truck or rail.
- Import Rail Departure Dwell (Days): The average number of days a container destined for rail transport remains at the terminal before departing on a train.
- Number of Containers: The total count of shipping containers present at the port during the reporting period.
Operational Terms
- Gate Activity: The movement of trucks in and out of marine terminals, typically measured by RFID readers at terminal gates.
- YoY (Year-over-Year): A comparison of metrics between the current reporting period and the same period in the previous year.
- PortTruckPass: The system used to track and manage truck movements within the port complex.
- RFID Readers: Radio Frequency Identification technology used to scan and record trucks entering marine terminals.
- Intermodal: Transportation involving multiple modes (e.g., ship to rail to truck) with containers transferred between these different transportation systems.
- Intermodal Connectivity: The efficiency of transfers between different transportation modes, particularly between marine terminals and rail facilities.
- Intermodal Transfer Bottlenecks: Points of congestion or delay in the process of transferring containers between transportation modes.
- Last-Mile Distribution: The final stage in the delivery process from a distribution center to the end customer.
Global Shipping Terms
- Red Sea/Suez Canal Vessels: Ships that would normally transit through the Suez Canal to travel between Asia and Europe/East Coast North America.
- Cape of Good Hope Rerouting: Alternative shipping route around the southern tip of Africa, used when the Suez Canal route is unavailable or problematic. This route adds significant time and distance to voyages.
Infrastructure & Projects
- PSCI (Port Street Corridor Improvement): Infrastructure project to enhance transportation corridors servicing the port.
- Infrastructure Utilization: The degree to which physical port assets (cranes, berths, yards, gates) are being used relative to their capacity.
- Supply Chain Resilience: The ability of the port and related logistics networks to adapt to and recover from disruptions.
Statistical Terms
- Weekly Average: The mean value of a metric calculated over a seven-day period.
- Percentage Points (pp): Unit used to express the arithmetic difference between two percentages (e.g., a change from 10% to 15% is an increase of 5 percentage points).
- Growth Rate: The percentage increase in a metric compared to a previous time period.
Executive Summary
This comprehensive analysis examines the Port of New York and New Jersey’s operational performance across three distinct timeframes: weekly (comparing March 9, 2025 vs. March 2, 2025), monthly (comparing March 9, 2025 vs. February 9, 2025), and yearly (comparing March 9, 2025 vs. March 3, 2024). This multi-dimensional approach provides a holistic view of port performance trends and reveals both immediate operational shifts and longer-term structural changes.
The latest data from the week ending March 9, 2025, shows significant improvements in operational efficiency compared to the previous week, with processing times decreasing by 4.9% for single moves and 16.3% for double moves, while maintaining similar truck visit volumes. These efficiency gains are accompanied by substantial improvements in terminal dwell times (-12.8%) and continued positive trends in trouble ticket reduction (-6.4%).
Month-over-month comparisons reveal mixed performance, with increased processing times since February but significantly improved rail dwell times. The 15.1% reduction in rail dwell time from February to March represents meaningful progress in addressing intermodal connectivity challenges.
Year-over-year analysis shows concerning long-term trends in rail dwell times, which have increased by 102.1% compared to March 2024, despite modest growth in other metrics. This dramatic increase indicates persistent structural challenges in the intermodal transfer system that require strategic intervention.
As the new administration’s trade and infrastructure policies continue to take effect, this multi-timeframe analysis provides crucial insights into both immediate operational improvements and persistent long-term challenges that require sustained attention.
Weekly Performance Analysis (Week Ending March 9, 2025 vs. Week Ending March 2, 2025)
One-Week Comparison
The table below compares key performance metrics for the two most recent reporting periods:
| Metric | Week Ending 3/2/2025 | Week Ending 3/9/2025 | Change | % Change |
| Turn Times | ||||
| Single Moves (Mins) | 48.70 | 46.33 | -2.37 | -4.9% |
| Double Moves (Mins) | 76.17 | 63.77 | -12.40 | -16.3% |
| Total Moves (Units) | 103,392 | 100,051 | -3,341 | -3.2% |
| Trouble Tickets | 6,386 | 5,975 | -411 | -6.4% |
| Truck Visits | ||||
| Weekly Truck Visits | 79,733 | 78,998 | -735 | -0.9% |
| YoY Growth vs. 2024 | +4.9% | +4.9% | 0.0pp | – |
| Import Inventory & Dwell | ||||
| Number of Containers | 27,395 | 30,610 | +3,215 | +11.7% |
| Terminal Dwell (Days) | 3.58 | 3.12 | -0.46 | -12.8% |
| Rail Dwell (Days) | 3.61 | 3.92 | +0.31 | +8.6% |
Note: pp = percentage points
Weekly Analysis Findings
The week-over-week comparison reveals significant improvements in operational efficiency:
- Processing Time Improvements: Both single and double move processing times decreased substantially, with single moves decreasing by 4.9% and double moves by a remarkable 16.3%. This efficiency improvement occurred despite only a minimal decrease in total truck visits (-0.9%).
- Trouble Ticket Reduction: The number of trouble tickets continued its downward trend, decreasing by 6.4% from the previous week. This reduction suggests ongoing improvements in operational reliability and exception management.
- Terminal Dwell Time Reduction: Terminal departure dwell time decreased by 12.8%, from 3.58 to 3.12 days, indicating significant improvements in the speed of container processing through the terminal.
- Rail Dwell Time Increase: The only concerning metric in the weekly comparison is the 8.6% increase in rail departure dwell time, which suggests potential challenges in intermodal connectivity that partially offset the terminal efficiency gains.
- Container Inventory Growth: Despite improved processing efficiency, container inventory increased significantly by 11.7%. This combination of increased inventory with reduced dwell times suggests higher volumes being processed through the terminal with improved efficiency.
The weekly data shows that the port has made significant strides in operational efficiency over the past week, particularly in processing times and terminal dwell times. The divergence between terminal and rail dwell times, however, indicates potential bottlenecks in the intermodal transfer system that warrant attention.
Monthly Performance Analysis (Week Ending March 9, 2025 vs. Week Ending February 9, 2025)
One-Month Comparison
The table below provides a month-over-month comparison of key performance indicators:
| Metric | Week Ending 2/9/2025 | Week Ending 3/9/2025 | Change | % Change |
| Turn Times | ||||
| Single Moves (Mins) | 39.08 | 46.33 | +7.25 | +18.6% |
| Double Moves (Mins) | 64.22 | 63.77 | -0.45 | -0.7% |
| Total Moves (Units) | 94,008 | 100,051 | +6,043 | +6.4% |
| Trouble Tickets | 6,449 | 5,975 | -474 | -7.4% |
| Truck Visits | ||||
| Weekly Truck Visits | 69,728 | 78,998 | +9,270 | +13.3% |
| YoY Growth vs. 2024 | -6.3% | +4.9% | +11.2pp | – |
| Import Inventory & Dwell | ||||
| Number of Containers | 29,975 | 30,610 | +635 | +2.1% |
| Terminal Dwell (Days) | 3.43 | 3.12 | -0.31 | -9.0% |
| Rail Dwell (Days) | 4.62 | 3.92 | -0.70 | -15.1% |
Note: pp = percentage points
Monthly Analysis Findings
The month-over-month comparison reveals several noteworthy trends and developments:
- Increased Processing Times for Single Moves: Single move processing times increased by 18.6% over the one-month period, suggesting potential challenges in scaling this type of operation to handle increased volumes.
- Stable Double Move Efficiency: Despite the increase in single move times, double move processing times remained stable with a slight improvement of 0.7%, indicating better scaling of this operation type.
- Significant Volume Growth: Truck visits increased substantially by 13.3% and total moves by 6.4% over the one-month period, reflecting strong demand growth for port services.
- Improved Year-over-Year Growth: The year-over-year growth rate has shifted dramatically from -6.3% in February to +4.9% in March, representing an 11.2 percentage point improvement and suggesting a reversal of previous negative trends.
- Dwell Time Improvements: Both terminal and rail dwell times have improved over the one-month period, with terminal dwell decreasing by 9.0% and rail dwell by a substantial 15.1%. This suggests successful implementation of initiatives aimed at improving container flow through the port.
- Trouble Ticket Reduction: The number of trouble tickets has decreased by 7.4% over the one-month period, indicating improved operational reliability despite volume increases.
The monthly data suggests that while the port has experienced increased single-move processing times, it has simultaneously made significant strides in improving dwell times, reducing exceptions, and handling substantially higher volumes. The dramatic improvement in year-over-year growth rates is particularly noteworthy, as it indicates a reversal of previous negative trends.
Year-over-Year Analysis (Week Ending March 9, 2025 vs. Week Ending March 3, 2024)
One-Year Comparison
The table below provides a comprehensive year-over-year comparison between the corresponding weeks in 2024 and 2025:
| Metric | Week Ending 3/3/2024 | Week Ending 3/9/2025 | Change | % Change |
| Turn Times | ||||
| Single Moves (Mins) | 45.38 | 46.33 | +0.95 | +2.1% |
| Double Moves (Mins) | 67.92 | 63.77 | -4.15 | -6.1% |
| Total Moves (Units) | 98,885 | 100,051 | +1,166 | +1.2% |
| Number of Trouble Tickets | 5,215 | 5,975 | +760 | +14.6% |
| Truck Visits | ||||
| Weekly Truck Visits | 75,990 | 78,998 | +3,008 | +4.0% |
| YoY Growth Rate | +7.4% | +4.9% | -2.5pp | – |
| Import Inventory & Dwell | ||||
| Number of Containers | 25,794 | 30,610 | +4,816 | +18.7% |
| Terminal Departure Dwell (Days) | 3.22 | 3.12 | -0.10 | -3.1% |
| Import Rail Departure Dwell (Days) | 1.94 | 3.92 | +1.98 | +102.1% |
Note: pp = percentage points
Key Year-over-Year Findings
The year-over-year comparison reveals a mixed picture of operational changes with some concerning trends:
- Mixed Processing Time Performance: Single move processing times increased slightly by 2.1%, while double move times improved by 6.1%. This divergence suggests potential optimization of double move operations at the expense of single move efficiency.
- Modest Volume Growth: Total moves and truck visits show modest growth of 1.2% and 4.0% respectively, indicating steady but not dramatic expansion of port operations over the past year.
- Significant Increase in Container Inventory: The number of containers at the port has increased by 18.7% year-over-year, substantially exceeding the growth in truck visits and total moves. This suggests longer container dwell times or changes in shipment patterns.
- Terminal Dwell Time Improvement: Terminal departure dwell time has improved slightly by 3.1%, indicating modest gains in terminal efficiency despite the increased container inventory.
- Critical Rail Dwell Challenge: The most concerning metric is the 102.1% increase in rail departure dwell times, from 1.94 to 3.92 days. This dramatic deterioration indicates significant challenges in intermodal connectivity that have emerged or worsened over the past year.
- Trouble Ticket Increase: The 14.6% increase in trouble tickets despite only modest growth in total moves suggests increased operational complexity and exception management challenges.
- Growth Rate Moderation: The year-over-year growth rate in truck visits has moderated from 7.4% (2023-2024) to 4.9% (2024-2025), suggesting a potential normalization of volume growth after a period of rapid expansion.
The year-over-year analysis reveals what appears to be a systematic challenge in rail connectivity, despite relatively stable or improving performance in other areas. The dramatic increase in rail dwell times represents a critical issue that requires strategic intervention.
Cross-Timeframe Analysis and Implications
Convergent Findings Across Timeframes
Analyzing the port’s performance across weekly, monthly, and yearly timeframes reveals several consistent patterns:
- Rail Dwell Time Challenges: The rail dwell time data shows a complex picture across timeframes. While there has been significant improvement month-over-month (-15.1%), there is deterioration week-over-week (+8.6%) and dramatic worsening year-over-year (+102.1%). This suggests recent initiatives may be addressing a severe long-term deterioration, but with some recent setbacks.
- Terminal Efficiency Improvements: All timeframes show improvements in terminal departure dwell times, with the strongest gains in the weekly comparison (-12.8%). This consistent improvement indicates successful initiatives to enhance terminal operations.
- Trouble Ticket Reduction: Both weekly and monthly comparisons show reductions in trouble tickets (-6.4% and -7.4% respectively), indicating improved operational reliability in recent periods despite the year-over-year increase.
- Volume Resilience: All timeframes show stable or growing volume metrics, with particularly strong growth in the monthly comparison (+13.3% truck visits). This consistent growth indicates sustained demand for port services.
Divergent Findings and Recent Improvements
While the overall trends show both challenges and improvements, there are some notable divergences across timeframes:
- Processing Time Variations: The weekly data shows significant improvements in processing times (-4.9% for single moves, -16.3% for double moves), while the monthly comparison shows deterioration in single move times (+18.6%) but stability in double move times. This suggests recent improvements that are beginning to address monthly deterioration.
- Container Inventory Fluctuations: Weekly data shows a significant increase in container inventory (+11.7%), while the monthly increase is much more modest (+2.1%). This suggests recent acceleration in container accumulation that bears monitoring.
- Year-over-Year Growth Rate Improvement: The monthly comparison shows a dramatic improvement in the year-over-year growth rate (from -6.3% to +4.9%), indicating a reversal of previous negative trends.
Implications for Stakeholders
Port Authority and Terminal Operators
- Rail Connectivity Priority: The dramatic year-over-year increase in rail dwell times, despite recent monthly improvements, highlights the critical need for sustained focus on intermodal connectivity.
- Process Standardization Opportunity: The significant recent improvements in processing times, particularly for double moves, suggest successful operational adjustments that could be standardized and expanded.
- Container Accumulation Monitoring: The recent increase in container inventory despite improved dwell times requires monitoring to ensure it doesn’t create congestion issues.
Shippers and Logistics Providers
- Modal Choice Considerations: The persistent challenges in rail connectivity may warrant consideration of alternative transportation modes for time-sensitive cargo.
- Lead Time Planning: Despite recent improvements, the substantial year-over-year increase in rail dwell times suggests that shippers should continue to incorporate additional buffer time in supply chain planning.
- Efficiency Improvement Recognition: The recent improvements in processing and dwell times suggest potential benefits in terms of improved predictability and throughput.
Policy Implications
- Infrastructure Investment Focus: The identified challenges in rail connectivity highlight the need for focused infrastructure investment in intermodal transfer facilities.
- Operational Best Practice Sharing: The recent improvements in processing efficiency suggest successful interventions that could be documented and shared across port operations.
- Long-term Planning Necessity: The divergent trends across timeframes underscore the importance of both short-term operational adjustments and long-term strategic planning.
Recommendations
Operational Enhancements
- Rail Transfer Process Optimization: Address the persistent rail dwell time challenges through:
- Enhanced coordination between terminal and rail operations
- Process standardization for intermodal transfers
- Equipment allocation review to ensure adequate resources
- Data integration to improve visibility and planning
- Double Move Efficiency Expansion: Leverage the successful improvements in double move processing times by:
- Documenting and standardizing the operational changes that led to the improvements
- Training additional staff on optimized procedures
- Evaluating application of similar approaches to single move operations
- Container Flow Management: Develop strategies to manage the recent increase in container inventory:
- Enhanced yard planning and stacking strategies
- Proactive communication with carriers and shippers
- Consideration of incentives for prompt container pickup
Strategic Initiatives
- Intermodal Connectivity Investment: Develop a comprehensive plan to address the severe year-over-year deterioration in rail dwell times:
- Infrastructure assessment to identify bottlenecks
- Capacity expansion planning for rail transfer facilities
- Technology deployment to improve visibility and planning
- Stakeholder coordination to ensure aligned priorities
- Performance Metric Standardization: Implement consistent performance measurement and reporting across all operational areas:
- Real-time visibility of key performance indicators
- Clear targets and accountability for performance metrics
- Regular cross-functional review of metrics and trends
- Data-driven decision making for resource allocation
- Volume Growth Management: Develop strategies to handle the continued growth in port activity:
- Capacity expansion planning
- Peak/off-peak incentive programs
- Extended gate hours optimization
- Technology deployment for process automation
Conclusion
The multi-timeframe analysis of the Port of New York and New Jersey’s performance reveals a complex operational landscape with both significant challenges and encouraging improvements. The most recent data from the week ending March 9, 2025, shows notable efficiency gains in processing times and terminal dwell times, building on positive monthly trends in trouble ticket reduction and rail dwell time improvement.
However, the dramatic year-over-year increase in rail dwell times (102.1%) remains a critical concern that requires sustained strategic attention despite recent improvements. This challenge is particularly significant given the relatively modest increase in overall volume metrics, suggesting systemic rather than volume-driven issues.
The port appears to be making significant strides in addressing operational efficiency through recent initiatives, as evidenced by the impressive weekly improvements in processing times and dwell times. These gains, if sustained and expanded, could help address the longer-term challenges identified in the year-over-year comparison.
As the port continues to adapt to changing trade patterns and volume growth, maintaining focus on both immediate operational improvements and strategic infrastructure investments will be essential. The intermodal connectivity challenges in particular require coordinated action among port authorities, terminal operators, rail providers, and other stakeholders to ensure long-term competitiveness and efficiency.
The coming months will be critical in determining whether the recent positive trends represent sustained improvements or temporary fluctuations. Continued monitoring across multiple timeframes will remain essential to distinguish between short-term variations and fundamental changes in port performance.
