NY-NJ hopes to end subsidy. (New York-New Jersey port officials)

NY-NJ Hopes to End Subsidy

Liburdi says port needs to spend more on intermodal facilities so it can compete for inland container cargo.

After two years of subsidizing the cost of rail shipment of intermodal containers, New York-New Jersey port officials would like to wean the shipping public from those incentives.

"I'd rather see us over time convert that into capital investment and not need to support the drayage," said Lillian Liburdi, director of the port department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The rail-hauling incentives--$25 per import container and $50 per export box--have helped the bi-state port double its intermodal traffic, she said.

But having gotten the shping public's attention with cost incentives, the port's managers would like to see the day when they can put some of those funds toward the improvement of intermodal facilities.

She said that while better access to inland markets is the port's best bet for boosting sluggish traffic volumes, better access means better intermodal …