Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced the completion of the Port of Virginia’s $320 million expansion at the Virginia International Gateway (VIG) container terminal. The completion of this project is a significant milestone as the Port works to enhance cargo and container capacity at its two major terminals, with a total goal of increasing capacity by 40%.
The 800-foot extension of the berth at VIG will enable the terminal to service as many as three Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) at the same time. VIG now will boast 26 new rail-mounted gantry cranes as well, supporting 13 new container stacks, creating more room to store containers.
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In January, four new 170-foot-tall ship-to-shore cranes arrived at the Port. These cranes are the largest on the US East Coast and will be able to service container vessels, regardless of their size, for decades to come.
During the expansion at VIG, the Port maintained service levels, handling a record three million TEUs of cargo in FY2019. As the container terminal expansion was finalized ahead of schedule, the terminal is well positioned to handle peak season volumes.
Virginia Port Authority CEO and Executive Director John Reinhart, commented:
Construction at Virginia International Gateway is complete. Thanks in large part to the Administration and the General Assembly, we’ve made the investments that our customers have asked for, and we are ready for peak season – and beyond. We are excited about taking this next step on a path to sustainability and success that will help drive job creation and investments across the Commonwealth
What is more, the VIG terminal is experiencing turn times for motor carriers calling at the terminal well below the industry standard of one hour. This is in partly because of to a newly-implemented reservation system, which is driving an even flow of trucks through the gates each day and helping terminal staff prepare for the next day, as well as growing to four the number of lanes at the truck-processing gate.
Moreover, productivity rises can be related to a larger rail yard, more capacity for refrigerated cargo, and technology advancements.