Port Jersey
| Company type | Port terminal |
|---|---|
| Industry | Intermodal freight transport |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Jersey City and Bayonne , United States |
| Products | Container shipping, freight transport |
| Owner | Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |
Port Jersey, officially named the Port Jersey Port Authority Marine Terminal and also referred to as the Port Jersey Marine Terminal, is an intermodal freight transport hub featuring a container facility situated on Upper New York Bay within the Port of New York and New Jersey. The dock runs along the boundary between the Hudson County municipalities of Jersey City and Bayonne.
Developed from 1972 through 1976, the terminal came under the ownership of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in July 2010. The terminal hosts a post-panamax shipping operation managed by CMA CGM, branded as Port Liberty Bayonne. A significant portion of Port Jersey falls within United States Foreign-Trade Zone 49, which bolsters its logistical and commercial functions.
Access to much of the terminal is restricted; however, a public walkway on its northern edge is planned to eventually link with the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. Additionally, a small sanctuary for the least tern bird species is maintained along this promenade.
History
Originally, the land east of Jersey City's Greenville neighborhood consisted of tidal marshlands and swamps, which began to be industrialized during the 19th century.
The Port Jersey pier was constructed using landfill between 1972 and 1976.[1]
Previously operating under the name NorthEast Auto Terminal (NEAT), this facility functioned as a privately owned auto import/export center until its acquisition by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) in 2008. Taking advantage of its deepwater berth and limited air draft constraints, PANYNJ transformed the site into a container terminal designed to accommodate super-panamax vessels anticipated after the Panama Canal Megalocks expansion. NEAT’s automotive handling activities were gradually discontinued by 2011, with operations transferring to Bayonne Auto Terminal and Port Newark FAPS.
Following acquisition, container terminal infrastructure was expanded through collaboration with Global Terminals, including a $325 million investment announced in 2014.[2]
In July 2016, the MOL Benefactor—the largest vessel ever to visit the Port of New York-New Jersey—docked at Port Jersey after passing through the expanded Panama Canal.[3]
In July 2024, Liebherr enhanced four cranes by elevating them by 28.2 feet and extending their outreach by 16 feet to better serve larger vessels.[4] By October, Port Jersey had introduced four additional super post-Panamax cranes capable of handling ships up to 24,000 TEU capacity, increasing its crane fleet from eight to twelve. Simultaneously, construction commenced on a third berth with a depth of 55 feet to accommodate even larger container ships.[5]
Channels
Ambrose Channel functions as the main maritime route for vessels entering and leaving the Port of New York and New Jersey. To the south, the Port Jersey Channel separates this pier from the peninsula pier that once housed the Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY). This mixed-use zone includes the Cape Liberty Cruise Port, one of three cruise terminals serving the New York metropolitan area, alongside residential and commercial developments. Additionally, land owned by PANYNJ in this area has been reserved for future port expansion. In 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved deepening work on Port Jersey Channel, a project finalized in 2016 to facilitate larger ships and improve cargo handling capacity. Claremeont Terminal lies immediately to the north.
Rail
Port Jersey continues to serve as a vital freight rail center on the Bergen Neck peninsula. In October 2010, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) revealed plans to establish ExpressRail Port Jersey, aimed at improving rail transfer efficiency and diminishing reliance on trucks. Rail connections to the national network are facilitated through the upgraded National Docks Secondary freight line, which forms part of the Liberty Freight Corridor.
The $600 million ExpressRail project commenced construction in December 2016, incorporating 9,600 feet of track along with rail-mounted gantry cranes capable of handling 250,000 container lifts annually. The initial stage, consisting of four tracks and two cranes, became operational in January 2019; by June 2019, the second phase added an additional four tracks, completing an eight-track system. This development bolsters the Port of NY/NJ’s market position and supports extensive port modernization investments.
Enhancements were also made to New York New Jersey Rail, operator of the sole car float service in New York Harbor linking Jersey City and Brooklyn. In 2017, the introduction of the barge NYNJR100 increased capacity by transporting up to 18 rail cars (each 60 feet long) with a maximum cargo load of 2,298 long tons (2,335 tonnes). The fleet expanded further in 2018 with the addition of NYNJR200, complementing the older 278, thereby sustaining reliable car float operations.
Road
Port Jersey benefits from access via New Jersey Route 440, which connects to both the Bayonne Bridge and Staten Island. Primary port entry is through Exit 14A on the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike, which underwent a $172 million upgrade in 2018 aimed at alleviating congestion for truck drivers and commuters alike. Additionally, New Jersey Route 185 provides a direct link between the port and Greenville Yard.
Wind turbines
In 2010, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced intentions to construct a wind farm consisting of five turbines at Port Jersey within a three-year timeframe as part of container port expansion efforts to accommodate post-panamax vessels. By May 2012, Global Container Terminals outlined plans for a port extension featuring nine wind turbines designed to power crane operations with zero emissions during wind generation periods. Nevertheless, as of mid-2017, progress on this initiative has been minimal.
Solid waste
Port Jersey functions as the principal transloading site where solid waste from New York City barges is transferred onto railcars. The city introduced a strategy in 2004 aimed at decreasing truck-based waste transport, providing Jersey City with an initial $10 million payment plus $250,000 annually. Although initially met with resistance, approval was granted in 2010 backed by a $118 million budget from the Port Authority. That same year, PANYNJ acquired Greenville Rail Yard to commence project implementation. Waste handling enhancements continue alongside broader infrastructure improvements at Greenville Yard.
See also
- Geography of New York Harbor
- Rail freight transportation in New York City and Long Island
- Wind power in New Jersey