Port of Boston Sets Record for Annual Container Cargo Volume

The Port of Boston handled a record volume of container cargo last year, according to figures released by the Massachusetts Port Authority, marking continued growth in shipping traffic as the port has invested in expanded terminal capacity over the past several years.

Port officials said container volume climbed roughly 8 percent compared with the prior full year, driven by continued strength in imports serving the greater Boston retail and consumer goods market, along with growing volume in specialized cargo such as machinery and biotech shipping containers requiring temperature control.

"We went through a period where a lot of shipping lines treated Boston as a secondary stop compared with larger East Coast ports, and the fact that we've grown volume consistently says a lot about the investments this port has made in infrastructure," said Massport's executive director of maritime operations. "Cargo doesn't come back automatically. Customers had to choose to route more of their business through here."

The port's continued dredging project, which has allowed larger vessels to call at Boston's Conley Terminal than in previous years, has been credited with much of the recent volume growth. Port officials said they expect further increases as the dredging project reaches its final phase over the coming year.

The Massachusetts Port Authority said the record volume supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs tied to port operations across the Boston region, from longshoremen to trucking and warehousing employment. State officials have continued to emphasize the port's growth as evidence that New England's largest port can compete more effectively with larger facilities to the south.