Trade gap narrows, at least for Massport. (volume of cargo handled by Massachusetts Port Authority)

Trade gap narrows, at least for Massport

Fewer cars came in, more consumer and high-tech items went out and total cargo volume as a whole picked up by nearly 9 percent in 1990 at the Port of Boston, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority's annual figures on trade.

Last year, nearly 22 million short tons of cargo passed through the Port of Boston, nearly 80 percent of which was petroleum and natural gas imports. A much smaller portion of the total cargo coming through the port was containerized freight and automobiles. Those two categories of products are worth $4 billion, half of the total value of all the port's cargo.

The annual report of the port, which summarizes all shipping activity conducted through Boston Harbor, shows its changing face. …