The Virginia International Gateway (VIG) completed another step in its expansion project as it launched operations at its container stack No. 1. The end of the stack-yard work leaves only two projects to be completed before the entire $320 million effort comes to an end in June.
Mainly, John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority noted that the new capacity is rapidly being integrated into the port’s operation and the results are already obvious.
As the No.1 stack is completed, the terminal now is provided with 13 additional stacks. Each of the 13 stacks consists of two new rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs).
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Additionally, the new stacks support the 15 existing stacks that are also served by RMGs. Those stacks are scheduled to be renovated through 2019, with two stacks complete and three underway.
According to the port, the expansion has doubled the terminal’s annual container throughput capacity. Specifically, VIG can now process 1.2 million container lifts annually.
The expansion of the shipyard is in line with four new ship-to-shore cranes and 800 extra feet of berth space.
Mr. Reinhart noted
In February 2017, we started work on what was a green-field site — we started from scratch – and now we are just a few months from completion.
After its completion, the VIG expansion is expected to increase the port’s overall annual container capacity by 40 percent, or 1 million container units, by 2020.
