The Massachusetts Port Authority said the Port of Boston's container terminal is the busiest it has ever been.
Massport said the Conley Terminal in South Boston has handled 181,984 TEUs in the first 10 months of the year, and is on target to surpass the more than 200,000 TEUs that were handled in 2006.
Container volume is fueled by a rise in cargo activity with Asia, Massport said. Since July 1, Asian import and exports were up 41 percent from the same four months in 2006, and overall container growth at Conley Terminal was up 21 percent year over year in the same four months.
The port said activity at the terminal is benefiting from a $28 million upgrade to Conley Container Terminal that was completed in June. Terminal capacity increased 50 percent even though the 100-acre footprint of the terminal was not changed.
The port said turn time at the terminal averaged 36 minutes in July-October, down from 58 minutes in the same four months in 2005.
"By upgrading our fleet of container handling equipment and reconfiguring the terminal, we are now able to provide better, faster service to our customers and accommodate our continuing growth," said Mike Leone, Massport's port director.
Improvements include a new layout that allows higher and wider container stacks, the addition of eight new rubber tire gantry cranes and four other machines to handle empty containers, reinforced pavement and painted markings, and the implementation of new drainage and lighting.
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