The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has proposed a record 45 billion USD capital plan for 2026–2035, aiming to modernise and expand the region’s transportation infrastructure.
As part of this plan, the seaport strategy builds on significant achievements from the 2017–2025 period. During that earlier cycle, the authority:
- Completed the Bayonne Bridge raise, enabling larger, higher-capacity container ships to access the port
- Opened the ExpressRail system at Port Jersey–Port Authority Marine Terminal, completing a 600 million USD network for rapid ship-to-rail cargo transfers
- Undertook a 220 million USD rebuild of the Port Street corridor, easing congestion and pinch points at Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal’s northern entrance
- Expanded ownership and operations at the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, enhancing capacity and flexibility
- Repaired and reinforced port infrastructure damaged during Superstorm Sandy, improving long-term resilience
The 2026–2035 Capital Plan continues this trajectory, allocating more than 1.2 billion USD in private-sector-backed projects to modernise container terminals, optimise cargo-handling operations, and improve trucker workflows.
Key priorities include:
- Upgrading wharves and berths, many of which are over 60 years old, to accommodate next-generation vessels
- Strengthening rail connections to streamline cargo movement between seaports and inland distribution hubs
- Transitioning towards sustainable port operations, including the electrification of cargo-handling equipment to reduce emissions
- Deepening the harbour to 55 feet in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, enabling safer navigation of larger, high-capacity vessels
These investments aim to preserve the Port of New York and New Jersey’s ‘must-call’ status on the East Coast shipping circuit, protect regional jobs, and reinforce national economic security.
