The Port of Virginia® moved 246,871 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in May, which is growth of 12.5 percent when compared with the same month last year and an all-time record for productivity at the port, the company said in its press release.
The growth was seen in all areas of the operation and comes on the heels of back-to-back calls from 13,000-TEU vessels in May.
According to an analysis of the new ocean carrier alliances published in April by BlueWater Reporting, The Port of Virginia is the top U.S. East Coast port for deployed capacity for Asia-USEC alliance services with seven services deploying more than 61,000 TEUs weekly. As the vessels are increasing in cargo capacity, the number of vessel calls is, as expected, declining. In May, there were 143 vessel calls vs. 173 calls in May 2016, yet cargo surged more than 12 percent.
May Cargo Snapshot
Loaded Export TEUs – 85,824, up 6%
Loaded Import TEUs – 100,594, up 9%
Containers – 141,218, up 13%
Rail Containers – 46,840, up 3%
Barge Containers – up 4,084, up 49%
Truck Containers – 90,294, up 18%
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 Richmond Marine Terminal. In fiscal year 2013, The Port of Virginia provided more than 374,000 jobs and generated $60.3 billion in total economic impact throughout the Commonwealth.