NORFOLK, Va. — Millions of federal dollars are on their way to the Port of Virginia. It's all about keeping the maritime passageways deeper, wider, and safer.
It will be $225.4 million to be precise, earmarked for the long-awaited Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project.
When dredging is complete, the inner harbor shipping channel will go from 50 feet to 55 feet deep, making it the deepest port along the U.S. East Coast.
And large vessel ship traffic -- commercial and military -- will be able to move in two directions simultaneously, in and out of the port.
"Bigger ships will mean more cargo. And more cargo means more jobs, development, and investment in the commonwealth," said Shep Miller, III, Virginia Secretary of Transportation.
The new money comes via the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill and the just-signed government spending bill. A ceremonial document-signing ceremony Friday in Norfolk sealed the deal.
"This is an awesome day," said Col Brian Hallbert, commander of the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Deepening the Norfolk harbor is really important, allowing the bigger ships to come to port."
Representatives Elaine Luria (D-Virginia, 2nd District) and Bobby Scott (D-Virginia, 3rd District) along with Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) were all on hand.
Making the port improvements, they said, is vital to securing the region's economic future.
"Doing nothing would mean the port traffic would decline," said Warner. "Doing nothing meant we would lose jobs and Hampton Roads and Virginia's economy wouldn't be as strong."
it's not just federal dollars making all this happen. Back in 2018, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $350 million in state money to "kick-start" the project.
The port's container volumes grew by 25% last year. Operating revenue increased by 39% from more than $500 million in 2020 to more than $700 million in 2021. And this past April was the second-most productive month for handling export and import containers in the history of the Port of Virginia.