NORFOLK, Va. — New improvements at the Port of Virginia are laying the groundwork for growth in Virginia.
“The Port of Virginia is America’s most modern gateway,” said Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander.
Port of Virginia officials hope an expansion project worth $83 million will launch them into further success. Construction on the central rail yard at Norfolk International Terminals is finally complete and fully operational.
“It keeps our impact going as to how we supply the Midwest and how we supply goods in and out of the nation,” said Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edward.
Edwards said the expansion increases rail capacity by 31% port-wide.
“It helps the Port of Virginia win freight," he said. "That creates employment. It creates great jobs.”
Tuesday marked the celebration of the expanded rail and the hope to get more cargo off the roads. That, in turn, could relieve congestion on city streets.
“The opportunity here is to convert certain amounts of cargo either from truck to rail…or to look at how we can rout trains within Norfolk to see if there’s a better way to do that so we can lessen the number of crossings in Hampton Roads,” Edwards said. “Cargo volumes coming to the US East Coast are steadily increasing and moving the cargo to market by rail, over The Port of Virginia, is smart business.”
The two-year-long project is part of the Port’s billion-dollar Gateway Investment Program. The additional rail capacity is part of the foundation for future developments.
“That starts at the sea buoy, deeper, wider, safer channels,” Edwards said. “Then you’ve got modern terminals...which this rail line will also serve.”
It also includes the creation of the Portsmouth offshore wind hub. Once complete, officials say it will be the deepest port on the east coast.
“Capable of handling the world’s largest container ships,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sheppard Miller.
The port used a $20 million federal grant and a $20 million grant from DRPT to build two new rail track bundles and purchase three all-electric cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes. The project gives the port an additional 455,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of annual on-dock rail capacity.