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Richard Larrabee, director of Port Commerce

FTZ No. 1 (N.Y.), 49 (N.J.)
Big Ship Ready: Target of 2016
Rail: CSX, NS, Canadian Pacific
Highways: I-78, I-95, I-278
Days to China: 32
Top Exports: Wood Pulp, Vehicles, Plastics
Cargo Types: Containers, Break Bulk, Ro/Ro

What infrastructure additions has the port made to support shippers over the past two years?
Our harbor-deepening project will give us 50-foot channels to all of our major container terminals. We are raising the Bayonne Bridge [from 151 feet to 215 feet], which has been somewhat of a restriction for larger container ships. We have invested about $700 million in rail infrastructure with on-dock rail at all of our container facilities with the exception of Global in Bayonne.

What’s your biggest locational advantage?
We’ve got 21 million consumers in our local market. It’s the biggest consumer market in the United States. The third biggest local market is probably in the Midwest, and we have a direct line to it with trains that go out six days a week.

What’s your elevator pitch?
By the end of 2016, the [Bayonne] bridge will be raised and the channel will be completed. Our on-dock rail facilities are robust. A lot of our roadway projects will be finished and with the work that we’re doing with the Counsel on Port Performance, this port is going to be ready to take a quantum step up in terms of delivering excellent service to both importers and exporters.