Governor Terry R. McAuliffe will be at The Port of Virginia on Wednesday, July 20 announcing that the port will be receiving a $350 million investment from the state to expand the cargo capacity at Norfolk International Terminals’ (NIT) South Berth.
In his 2016 budget, McAuliffe included $350 million for expanding capacity at Norfolk International Terminals, which is the port’s largest terminal. The Port of Virginia began optimizing NIT last year, investing in modern terminal operating software and cargo conveyance equipment. Last July, the port began construction on its new North Gate complex – a 22-lane gate that will provide greater motor carrier access to the terminal and will tie into the I-564 connector, also under construction.
Specifically, the money will be used to reconfigure the South Berth at NIT to increase capacity at NIT by 46 percent, as well as improve the speed at which the cargo moves through that area. The port will moving to a rail-mounted gantry crane operation in order to increase capacity, efficiency and worker safety.
The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The VPA owns and through its private operating subsidiary, Virginia International Terminals, LLC (VIT), operates four general cargo facilities Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port in Warren County. The VPA leases Virginia International Gateway and the Port of Richmond. In fiscal 2013, The Port of Virginia provided more than 374,000 jobs and generated $60.3 billion in total economic impact throughout the Commonwealth.