Virginia Port Authority
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is an autonomous agency
(political subdivision) of the Commonwealth of Virginia that owns the Port of Virginia. The Virginia Port Authority’s center of activity is the ice-free natural harbor of Hampton Roads
.
The principal facilities of the Port of Virginia are four marine terminals
and one intermodal
container transfer facility: Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal, APMT Virginia at Portsmouth, all on the harbor of Hampton Roads
, and the Virginia Inland Port at Front Royal, Virginia
. A site on the harbor at nearby Craney Island
has been identified for future expansion as well.
Virginia International Terminals, Inc. (VIT), the Virginia Port Authority’s non-stock, non-profit affiliate, is responsible for operating the Port of Virginia. VPA’s headquarter offices are located in the World Trade Center in Norfolk, Virginia
overlooking the Elizabeth River
. The agency also employs regional managers throughout the United States
and in Belgium
, Brazil
, Japan
, Hong Kong
, India
, and South Korea
.
or Virginia Beach; one, but no more than one, commissioner from Portsmouth
or Chesapeake
; and one, but no more than one, commissioner from Hampton
or Newport News. Traditionally, an active or retired senior executive from Norfolk Southern Railway
and an individual with ties to the coal industry have served as members of the Board. The Board elects a chairman
and vice chairman
from within its membership.
The Board of Commissioners appoints the executive director
of the Virginia Port Authority, who is responsible for overseeing the daily execution of the agency’s policies, and serving as an ex-officio member of VIT’s Board of Directors.
Robert C. Barclay, IV (Vice Chairman)
J. Braxton Powell (State Treasurer)
Martin J. “Marty” Barrington
Stephen M. Cumbie
Joe B. Fleming
Mark B. Goodwin
Allen R. Jones, Jr.
Michael Jack Quillen
Ranjit K. Sen
Deborah K. Stearns
Thomas M. Wolf
J. Robert “Bobby” Bray (1978–February 5, 2007)
The Honorable Ephraim P. Holmes (1971–1978)
generated by port activities, predominantly trade
. The Port Authority does, however, receive state transportation money for capital projects, for such things as new wharfs and cranes. The agency receives 4.2 percent of the Commonwealth Transportation Trust Fund, a fund that's generated by fuel taxes, vehicle sales and use taxes, and some sales taxes. Such revenue is invested in maintaining and improving the facilities and in marketing the port to potential clients.
harbor
. Studies commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly
during the 1970s and the early 1980s suggested that the port terminals should be consolidated under a single port authority
that would manage the activities of the terminals while remaining under the authority of the General Assembly. Legislation changed the name of the Virginia State Ports Authority to the Virginia Port Authority to reflect the goal of integrating the ports. Virginia Senate Bill 548 mandated that the Virginia Port Authority complete the unification as swiftly as possible. In addition, the General Assembly revised the VPA’s enabling legislation to allow the agency to subordinate local port cities, towns, and other entities; to acquire federal, state, and local property; and to provide for a tariff
.
The VPA purchased the terminals piecemeal. Portsmouth Marine Terminal became the first port to enter the unification program; the City of Portsmouth conveyed the port to the VPA in 1971. Later that same year, Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) was transferred to the VPA with the consent of its owner Peninsula Ports Authority (PPAV), its operator Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
, and the cities of Hampton and Newport News. The VPA acquired Norfolk International Terminals from the City of Norfolk in 1972.
In order to manage the consolidated marine terminal operations, Virginia International Terminals, Inc. was created in 1982. VIT not only systematized operations at the VPA’s facilities, but also moved cargo
more efficiently and strengthened the port’s marketing program.
Two pieces of legislation in the 1980s aided the development of The Port of Virginia. The first, the Transportation Trust Fund, became the source for the Commonwealth Port Fund. The Commonwealth Port Fund was created by the General Assembly from a portion of the revenue generated by transportation taxes and fees, and was transferred to the Board of Commissioners of the VPA to satisfy port capital needs within Virginia.
The second piece of legislation was the Water Resources Act of 1986, a federal cost-sharing initiative that provided for the dredging of all major U.S. river
channels
and waterways. The Hampton Roads harbor became the first to begin dredging under the new legislation, with the aim of deepening the outbound navigational channel from 45 to 50 feet (15.2 m). The project was completed in 1988 with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In 1989, the VPA opened the Virginia Inland Port, a $10 million intermodal facility in Front Royal, Virginia. The combination truck-and-rail terminal sits near the intersection of U.S. Interstate 81 and U.S. Interstate 66 and extends the VPA’s activities to Maryland
, Delaware
, West Virginia
, Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, and New York
.
cranes
. A marginal wharf
measuring 5730 feet (1,746.5 m) long provides five berth
s for vessels carrying containerized
, breakbulk
, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes. NIT provides 34,219 TEUs
of container storage space; 2340000 square feet (217,393.1 m²) total of covered pier
, dry, and cold storage space; and space for 702 stacked truck chassis
. NIT is accessible via Interstates 64, Insterstate 564, and Terminal Boulevard, and via rail serviced by Norfolk Southern Railway
, CSX Corporation
, and Eastern Shore Railroad
.
NIT was originally a surplus Army
base
that the City of Norfolk purchased in 1965. The city outfitted the base with a container crane and put a one-berth container facility in service in addition to the breakbulk capacity already available. A second container berth and two more container cranes were added in the early 1970s.
The Virginia Port Authority used a $12 million appropriation from the General Assembly to acquire NIT on July 1, 1972. Slightly more than half the money went to pay obligations to the city and terminal; the remainder was dedicated to purchasing a fourth container crane, extending the container berth, and improving support structures.
During the 1980s, NIT attracted the business of Nissan Motor Company and Evergreen
. To meet increasing demand, the VPA dredged deeper channels, added a fourth berth, built a 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) warehouse, purchased three high-speed gantry cranes, and paved another container storage area.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the VPA continued to expand the facilities, replace old cranes, and add new ones, until it reached its present capacity. On July 16, 2008, the three newest, and largest, cranes were delivered to the terminal.
cranes
, and one gantry crane
. A marginal wharf
measuring 3540 feet (1,079 m) long provides three berth
s for vessels carrying containerized
, breakbulk
, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes. PMT provides 33,786 TEUs
of container storage space; 94471 square feet (8,776.6 m²) of dry storage space; and space for 260 reefer receptacles. PMT is accessible via U.S. Route 58, which is connected to Interstates 95, 64, and 664; and via rail serviced by Norfolk Southern Railway
and CSX Transportation
.
Most of PMT was built upon reclaimed land containing dredged material from the construction of the Midtown Tunnel
. The terminal began, in part, as a port owned by a railroad that served Pinner’s Point. The Virginia State Ports Authority purchased the facility, but in 1965 leased a portion of it to the City of Portsmouth. Funds from the General Assembly and the city paid for a temporary pier
.
By 1971, PMT had developed into a conventional two-berth general cargo marine terminal. In that year, the VPA bought Portsmouth’s interest in the facility for approximately $7,418,000.
In 1975, an agreement between the VPA and Portsmouth allowed Sea-Land Service, Inc.
to construct a terminal on the property of PMT; the new facility used about one-third of the available space. Sea-Land built a 600 feet (182.9 m) marginal wharf, a paved backup storage area, an office building, a warehouse with 26 loading bays, and a maintenance garage. Sea-Land also purchased a container crane. Sea-Land developed the terminal under a 30-year lease that stipulated that at the end of the lease the land and facility would revert to the VPA.
During the early 1990s PMT received another high-speed container crane and a dock extension that joined the existing 600 feet (182.9 m) marginal wharf at the Sea-Land facility with the marginal wharf at the VPA’s facility.
cranes
. Two berth
s handle cruise vessels and breakbulk
cargo. The facility is also capable of handling containerized
and roll-on/roll-off cargo. NNMT provides storage space for 790 containers and 1,210 chassis
. NNMT also offers 394000 square feet (36,603.8 m²) of covered storage space; 256000 square feet (23,783.2 m²) of dry storage space; and 43 acres (174,015 m²) of open yard storage space. NNMT is accessible via Interstate 64, Interstate 664, and U.S. Route 17. Breakbulk rail service is provided by CSX Corporation
. Containerized cargo is drayed
to and from NIT when Norfolk Southern
rail service is necessary.
Prior to the beginning of port unification in 1971, the Peninsula Ports Authority of Virginia (PPAV) owned the terminal and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
(now CSX) operated it. In the late 1960s, Pier B entered service and construction of Pier C began. When, in 1971, the PPAV and Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad conveyed their rights to NNMT to the VPA, Pier C had not yet been completed. One of the requirements of the contract stipulated that the VPA had to obtain state funding to finish the project. In 1972, the General Assembly appropriated the necessary funds.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad remained the operator of NNMT until 1982, when the VPA Board of Commissioners authorized VIT to take over the operations. In 1983, the VPA purchased 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) of land adjacent to NNMT from CSX, then leased the land back to the railroad company for two years while they built a repair along its tracks.
In the 1990s, NNMT received a $10 million entrance complex, an interchange, scales, an administration building, 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) of paved cargo space, and an extension to Pier C. In 1994, the Nissan Import Auto Operations
facility, previously located at NIT, was relocated to a newly developed 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) space at NNMT.
, is the second smallest of the four facilities, with a land area of 161 acre (0.65154446 km²). The terminal is serviced by 17820 feet (5,431.5 m) of rail track that runs adjacent to Norfolk Southern Railway
’s main rail line. VIP is accessible via Interstates 66 and 81.
The $10 million dollar intermodal
facility opened in 1989, extending The Port of Virginia’s operations 220 miles (354.1 km) inland. VIP provides access to markets in Washington, D.C.
, Maryland
, Delaware
, West Virginia
, Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, and New York
. The terminal offers a three-door cross dock facility for transferring cargo, a maintenance building, a chassis
pool, reefer gensets
, and shore power. As a U.S. Customs
-designated port of entry, VIP supplies a full range of customs functions. USDA and SGS inspections are also available as needed.
), corporate entities (notably the two Class 1 railroads and several short line railroads operating in the Hampton Roads region. VPA is even apparently ready to capitalize on developments initiated in other countries, with a particular emphasis on Panama's canal widening project.
north to New York City
, notably including facilities at Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News on the harbor of Hampton Roads, currently receive extensive intermodal shipping container traffic. Much of the volume is from China
and other points in Asia
and is bound for the eastern 1/3 of the United States. Most containers are then transferred to railroads, and then transported generally as close as possible to final destinations, where they are then moved onto trucks for the final portion of their journeys.
As this volume has increased in recent years, it has become increasingly clear that there was a need for improved intermodal transfer facilities, both at the ports, and near the final destinations. Additionally, the two major Class 1 railroads serving this growing traffic, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) and CSX Transportation
(CSX), have each been forced utilize circuitous routing to avoid conflicts with tunnel and bridge clearances when crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains
and the Allegheny Mountains
. Using a combination of governmental funds from federal and state funding from Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio and with substantial investment of their own corporate resources, both railroads have been engaged in addressing both issues, NS has been working on its Heartland Corridor
project by raising vertical clearances in 28 tunnels on an extant Norfolk Southern rail line between the port of Hampton Roads Chicago. CSX has a similar goal with National Gateway Project
project which is also upgrading bridges and tunnels. Both railroads are also expanding intermodal terminal capacities in Ohio. In June, 2010, NS announced that it had reached an agreement with Ohio to extend a leg of the Heartland Corridor southwesterly from Columbus
to Cincinnati, which is located on the Ohio River
near the border where Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana converge. The $6.1 million dollar cost will be funded with federal economic stimulus funds and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, plus money from NS.
to the center median of Virginia State Route 164
and Interstate 664
. The line extends from VPA facilities in Portsmouth to Suffolk
, a location which, due largely to geography of the region, has long been a rail and highway hub in the western portion of South Hampton Roads
. The move eliminated the prior routing of intermodal traffic along the Commonwealth Railway through neighborhoods in Portsmouth as well as reduced the hazards of grade crossings with streets and highways.
and Long Beach, California
. The containers then travel overland via either railroad or by trucking. By coming through the widened Panama Canal
to the Gulf of Mexico
and sailing on to East Coast ports, these vessels will be able to reduce shipping time and expense to reach major U.S. markets along the Mississippi River
basin and the points east of there. Much of such rail traffic now changes at "gateway" railhead cities such as Chicago
and St. Louis, from western class 1 railroads such as Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway (BNSF) to other railroads.
By using the canal and east coast ports, potentially a lot of shipping expense for the rail portion to destinations can be saved. However, keys to shipping via the western versus eastern ports are facilities at the ports, better rail links inland, shipping times, and costs.
VPA's recent lease of the massive APTM intermodal terminal at Portsmouth and its capacity expansion at the Norfolk International Terminal both help Virginia to be positioned favorably, as do the move of the local railroad line, and the planning for even more capacity at Craney Island
.
Currently, according to Trains magazine, Hampton Roads and Baltimore
are the only ones on the U.S. East Coast which can already handle the greater draft (channel depth) of 50–55 feet and height clearance (approximately 50 feet) which are needed for the larger ships that would begin coming through the widened canal. In the Spring of 2010, Norfolk Southern had almost completed the Heartland Corridor project and work on CSX's National Gateway was well underway. Officials in Ohio had already celebrated groundbreaking for the intermodal yard expansions by both railroads.
The Virginia Port Authority maintains its own police force of fully certified and sworn law enforcement officers of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Police officers are responsible for physical security and law enforcement at the marine terminals and the intermodal facility.
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
(political subdivision) of the Commonwealth of Virginia that owns the Port of Virginia. The Virginia Port Authority’s center of activity is the ice-free natural harbor of Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
.
The principal facilities of the Port of Virginia are four marine terminals
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
and one intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
container transfer facility: Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal, APMT Virginia at Portsmouth, all on the harbor of Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, and the Virginia Inland Port at Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
. A site on the harbor at nearby Craney Island
Craney Island (Virginia)
Craney Island is a point of land in the independent city of Portsmouth in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia in the United States. The location, formerly in Norfolk County, is near the mouth of the Elizabeth River opposite Lambert's Point on Hampton Roads. It is managed by the U.S...
has been identified for future expansion as well.
Virginia International Terminals, Inc. (VIT), the Virginia Port Authority’s non-stock, non-profit affiliate, is responsible for operating the Port of Virginia. VPA’s headquarter offices are located in the World Trade Center in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
overlooking the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
. The agency also employs regional managers throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Governance
As an agency of the Commonwealth, the Virginia Port Authority reports to the Virginia Secretary of Transportation. The Governor of Virginia appoints 11 citizens to form the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners; the state treasurer is an ex-officio member of the Board. Commissioners serve staggered five year terms at the pleasure of the Governor, and no commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms. Law dictates that there must be one, but no more than one, commissioner from NorfolkNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
or Virginia Beach; one, but no more than one, commissioner from Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
or Chesapeake
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
; and one, but no more than one, commissioner from Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
or Newport News. Traditionally, an active or retired senior executive from Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and an individual with ties to the coal industry have served as members of the Board. The Board elects a chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
and vice chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
from within its membership.
The Board of Commissioners appoints the executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Virginia Port Authority, who is responsible for overseeing the daily execution of the agency’s policies, and serving as an ex-officio member of VIT’s Board of Directors.
Current Board of Commissioners
John G. Milliken (Chairman)Robert C. Barclay, IV (Vice Chairman)
J. Braxton Powell (State Treasurer)
Martin J. “Marty” Barrington
Stephen M. Cumbie
Joe B. Fleming
Mark B. Goodwin
Allen R. Jones, Jr.
Michael Jack Quillen
Ranjit K. Sen
Deborah K. Stearns
Thomas M. Wolf
Executive Directors
Jerry A. Bridges (February 5, 2007–Present)J. Robert “Bobby” Bray (1978–February 5, 2007)
The Honorable Ephraim P. Holmes (1971–1978)
Economic status
The Virginia Port Authority is exempt from state and federal taxes, but as a result receives no money from the state’s General Fund. Port operations are paid for using revenueRevenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
generated by port activities, predominantly trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. The Port Authority does, however, receive state transportation money for capital projects, for such things as new wharfs and cranes. The agency receives 4.2 percent of the Commonwealth Transportation Trust Fund, a fund that's generated by fuel taxes, vehicle sales and use taxes, and some sales taxes. Such revenue is invested in maintaining and improving the facilities and in marketing the port to potential clients.
History
The Virginia Port Authority had its roots in the Virginia State Ports Authority (VSPA), an agency of the Commonwealth created in 1952 that was responsible for operating the port terminals in the Hampton RoadsHampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
. Studies commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
during the 1970s and the early 1980s suggested that the port terminals should be consolidated under a single port authority
Port authority
In Canada and the United States a port authority is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body to operate ports and other transportation infrastructure.Port authorities are usually governed by boards or...
that would manage the activities of the terminals while remaining under the authority of the General Assembly. Legislation changed the name of the Virginia State Ports Authority to the Virginia Port Authority to reflect the goal of integrating the ports. Virginia Senate Bill 548 mandated that the Virginia Port Authority complete the unification as swiftly as possible. In addition, the General Assembly revised the VPA’s enabling legislation to allow the agency to subordinate local port cities, towns, and other entities; to acquire federal, state, and local property; and to provide for a tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
.
The VPA purchased the terminals piecemeal. Portsmouth Marine Terminal became the first port to enter the unification program; the City of Portsmouth conveyed the port to the VPA in 1971. Later that same year, Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) was transferred to the VPA with the consent of its owner Peninsula Ports Authority (PPAV), its operator Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
, and the cities of Hampton and Newport News. The VPA acquired Norfolk International Terminals from the City of Norfolk in 1972.
In order to manage the consolidated marine terminal operations, Virginia International Terminals, Inc. was created in 1982. VIT not only systematized operations at the VPA’s facilities, but also moved cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
more efficiently and strengthened the port’s marketing program.
Two pieces of legislation in the 1980s aided the development of The Port of Virginia. The first, the Transportation Trust Fund, became the source for the Commonwealth Port Fund. The Commonwealth Port Fund was created by the General Assembly from a portion of the revenue generated by transportation taxes and fees, and was transferred to the Board of Commissioners of the VPA to satisfy port capital needs within Virginia.
The second piece of legislation was the Water Resources Act of 1986, a federal cost-sharing initiative that provided for the dredging of all major U.S. river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
channels
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
and waterways. The Hampton Roads harbor became the first to begin dredging under the new legislation, with the aim of deepening the outbound navigational channel from 45 to 50 feet (15.2 m). The project was completed in 1988 with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In 1989, the VPA opened the Virginia Inland Port, a $10 million intermodal facility in Front Royal, Virginia. The combination truck-and-rail terminal sits near the intersection of U.S. Interstate 81 and U.S. Interstate 66 and extends the VPA’s activities to Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Norfolk International Terminals
Norfolk International Terminals is the largest of the four facilities, with a land area of 648 acres (2.6 km²). The terminal has fifty-foot-deep entrance channels at the north and south ends. The terminal is serviced by 89300 feet (27,218.6 m) of rail track and 11 Suez-class containerContainerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
. A marginal wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
measuring 5730 feet (1,746.5 m) long provides five berth
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s for vessels carrying containerized
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
, breakbulk
Break bulk cargo
In shipping, break bulk cargo or general cargo is a term that covers a great variety of goods that must be loaded individually, and not in intermodal containers nor in bulk as with oil or grain. Ships that carry this sort of cargo are often called general cargo ships...
, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes. NIT provides 34,219 TEUs
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
of container storage space; 2340000 square feet (217,393.1 m²) total of covered pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
, dry, and cold storage space; and space for 702 stacked truck chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. NIT is accessible via Interstates 64, Insterstate 564, and Terminal Boulevard, and via rail serviced by Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation was formed in 1980 by the merger of Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries and eventually merged the various railroads owned by those predecessors into a single line that became known as CSX Transportation. Based in Richmond, Virginia, USA after the merger, in 2003...
, and Eastern Shore Railroad
Eastern Shore Railroad
The Eastern Shore Railroad, Inc. was a Class III short-line railroad that began operations in October 1981 on the 96 mile former Virginia and Maryland Railroad line on the Delmarva Peninsula...
.
NIT was originally a surplus Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
that the City of Norfolk purchased in 1965. The city outfitted the base with a container crane and put a one-berth container facility in service in addition to the breakbulk capacity already available. A second container berth and two more container cranes were added in the early 1970s.
The Virginia Port Authority used a $12 million appropriation from the General Assembly to acquire NIT on July 1, 1972. Slightly more than half the money went to pay obligations to the city and terminal; the remainder was dedicated to purchasing a fourth container crane, extending the container berth, and improving support structures.
During the 1980s, NIT attracted the business of Nissan Motor Company and Evergreen
Evergreen Marine
Evergreen Marine Corporation , headquartered in Luzhu, Taoyuan County, Taiwan in the Republic of China, is a containerized-freight shipping company, mainly serving the east coast of Asia and the west coast of North America, with over 150 container ships. It is part of the Evergreen Group...
. To meet increasing demand, the VPA dredged deeper channels, added a fourth berth, built a 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) warehouse, purchased three high-speed gantry cranes, and paved another container storage area.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the VPA continued to expand the facilities, replace old cranes, and add new ones, until it reached its present capacity. On July 16, 2008, the three newest, and largest, cranes were delivered to the terminal.
Portsmouth Marine Terminal
Portsmouth Marine Terminal is the second largest of the four facilities, with a land area of 219 acre (0.88626234 km²). The terminal has a forty-five-foot-deep main channel. The terminal is serviced by 20100 feet (6,126.5 m) of rail track, six containerContainerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
, and one gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
. A marginal wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
measuring 3540 feet (1,079 m) long provides three berth
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s for vessels carrying containerized
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
, breakbulk
Break bulk cargo
In shipping, break bulk cargo or general cargo is a term that covers a great variety of goods that must be loaded individually, and not in intermodal containers nor in bulk as with oil or grain. Ships that carry this sort of cargo are often called general cargo ships...
, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes. PMT provides 33,786 TEUs
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
of container storage space; 94471 square feet (8,776.6 m²) of dry storage space; and space for 260 reefer receptacles. PMT is accessible via U.S. Route 58, which is connected to Interstates 95, 64, and 664; and via rail serviced by Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
Most of PMT was built upon reclaimed land containing dredged material from the construction of the Midtown Tunnel
Midtown Tunnel
The Midtown Tunnel crosses the main channel of the Elizabeth River in the South Hampton Roads area. It links the independent City of Portsmouth with the independent City of Norfolk. It carries U.S. Highway 58 and operates without tolls.- History :...
. The terminal began, in part, as a port owned by a railroad that served Pinner’s Point. The Virginia State Ports Authority purchased the facility, but in 1965 leased a portion of it to the City of Portsmouth. Funds from the General Assembly and the city paid for a temporary pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
.
By 1971, PMT had developed into a conventional two-berth general cargo marine terminal. In that year, the VPA bought Portsmouth’s interest in the facility for approximately $7,418,000.
In 1975, an agreement between the VPA and Portsmouth allowed Sea-Land Service, Inc.
Sea-Land Service, Inc.
Sea-Land Service, Inc. was a pioneering shipping and containerization company founded by American entrepreneur Malcom McLean in 1960, out of the operations of the Pan-Atlantic Steamship Company, which McLean acquired in 1955...
to construct a terminal on the property of PMT; the new facility used about one-third of the available space. Sea-Land built a 600 feet (182.9 m) marginal wharf, a paved backup storage area, an office building, a warehouse with 26 loading bays, and a maintenance garage. Sea-Land also purchased a container crane. Sea-Land developed the terminal under a 30-year lease that stipulated that at the end of the lease the land and facility would revert to the VPA.
During the early 1990s PMT received another high-speed container crane and a dock extension that joined the existing 600 feet (182.9 m) marginal wharf at the Sea-Land facility with the marginal wharf at the VPA’s facility.
Newport News Marine Terminal
Newport News Marine Terminal is the smallest of the four facilities, with a land area of 140.64 acre (0.5691503904 km²). The terminal has a forty-five-foot-deep main channel. The terminal is serviced by 42720 feet (13,021.1 m) of rail track and four containerContainerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
. Two berth
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s handle cruise vessels and breakbulk
Break bulk cargo
In shipping, break bulk cargo or general cargo is a term that covers a great variety of goods that must be loaded individually, and not in intermodal containers nor in bulk as with oil or grain. Ships that carry this sort of cargo are often called general cargo ships...
cargo. The facility is also capable of handling containerized
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
and roll-on/roll-off cargo. NNMT provides storage space for 790 containers and 1,210 chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. NNMT also offers 394000 square feet (36,603.8 m²) of covered storage space; 256000 square feet (23,783.2 m²) of dry storage space; and 43 acres (174,015 m²) of open yard storage space. NNMT is accessible via Interstate 64, Interstate 664, and U.S. Route 17. Breakbulk rail service is provided by CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation was formed in 1980 by the merger of Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries and eventually merged the various railroads owned by those predecessors into a single line that became known as CSX Transportation. Based in Richmond, Virginia, USA after the merger, in 2003...
. Containerized cargo is drayed
Drayage
In the shipping industry and logistics, drayage is the transport of goods a short distance, often as part of a longer overall move. A drayage trip can typically be completed in a single work shift. The term drayage is also used for the fee paid for such services.The term originally meant "to...
to and from NIT when Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
rail service is necessary.
Prior to the beginning of port unification in 1971, the Peninsula Ports Authority of Virginia (PPAV) owned the terminal and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(now CSX) operated it. In the late 1960s, Pier B entered service and construction of Pier C began. When, in 1971, the PPAV and Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad conveyed their rights to NNMT to the VPA, Pier C had not yet been completed. One of the requirements of the contract stipulated that the VPA had to obtain state funding to finish the project. In 1972, the General Assembly appropriated the necessary funds.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad remained the operator of NNMT until 1982, when the VPA Board of Commissioners authorized VIT to take over the operations. In 1983, the VPA purchased 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) of land adjacent to NNMT from CSX, then leased the land back to the railroad company for two years while they built a repair along its tracks.
In the 1990s, NNMT received a $10 million entrance complex, an interchange, scales, an administration building, 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) of paved cargo space, and an extension to Pier C. In 1994, the Nissan Import Auto Operations
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
facility, previously located at NIT, was relocated to a newly developed 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) space at NNMT.
Virginia Inland Port
The Virginia Inland Port, located in Front Royal, VirginiaFront Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
, is the second smallest of the four facilities, with a land area of 161 acre (0.65154446 km²). The terminal is serviced by 17820 feet (5,431.5 m) of rail track that runs adjacent to Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
’s main rail line. VIP is accessible via Interstates 66 and 81.
The $10 million dollar intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
facility opened in 1989, extending The Port of Virginia’s operations 220 miles (354.1 km) inland. VIP provides access to markets in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The terminal offers a three-door cross dock facility for transferring cargo, a maintenance building, a chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
pool, reefer gensets
Engine-generator
An engine-generator is the combination of an electrical generator and an engine mounted together to form a single piece of equipment. This combination is also called an engine-generator set or a gen-set...
, and shore power. As a U.S. Customs
United States Customs Service
Until March 2003, the United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties.Before it was rolled into form part of the U.S...
-designated port of entry, VIP supplies a full range of customs functions. USDA and SGS inspections are also available as needed.
APMT Virginia: VPA's newest facility
In 2010, the VPA entered into a 20-year lease agreement with A. P. Moller-Maersk Group (often known informally as simply "Maersk") that effectively gives the agency control over all operations at APMT Virginia. Highly automated, the $450 million terminal in Portsmouth located on a 291 acres (1.2 km²) site was the largest investment in a company-owned container terminal in the nation when opened by Maersk in 2007. The addition of the APMT Virginia terminal meant that all the marine cargo container terminals in the Hampton Roads harbor became united under the VPA's management as of July, 2010.Future
VPA appears to be making preparations to take advantage of the future traffic potential of marine cargo container traffic in an ever-increasingly global market. The capacity expansion at Norfolk International Terminal, the 20-year lease of the APTM Virginia terminal facilities at Portsmouth and the planning and initial stages of the Craney Island terminal project all are complimentary to what others are doing and how various investments are being made in transportation infrastructure improvements. Other entities doing so include the U.S. federal government, other Virginia agencies, other states and their respective local agencies (i.e. ToledoToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
), corporate entities (notably the two Class 1 railroads and several short line railroads operating in the Hampton Roads region. VPA is even apparently ready to capitalize on developments initiated in other countries, with a particular emphasis on Panama's canal widening project.
Double stack intermodal with railroads
East coast ports from Wilmington, North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
north to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, notably including facilities at Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News on the harbor of Hampton Roads, currently receive extensive intermodal shipping container traffic. Much of the volume is from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and other points in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and is bound for the eastern 1/3 of the United States. Most containers are then transferred to railroads, and then transported generally as close as possible to final destinations, where they are then moved onto trucks for the final portion of their journeys.
As this volume has increased in recent years, it has become increasingly clear that there was a need for improved intermodal transfer facilities, both at the ports, and near the final destinations. Additionally, the two major Class 1 railroads serving this growing traffic, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) and CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(CSX), have each been forced utilize circuitous routing to avoid conflicts with tunnel and bridge clearances when crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
and the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. Using a combination of governmental funds from federal and state funding from Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio and with substantial investment of their own corporate resources, both railroads have been engaged in addressing both issues, NS has been working on its Heartland Corridor
Heartland Corridor
The Heartland Corridor is a public-private partnership between the Norfolk Southern Railway and the Federal Highway Administration and three US states to improve railroad freight operations....
project by raising vertical clearances in 28 tunnels on an extant Norfolk Southern rail line between the port of Hampton Roads Chicago. CSX has a similar goal with National Gateway Project
National Gateway
National Gateway is a multi-stage railroad construction project in the United States promoted by CSX Transportation, a unit of CSX Corporation. It is designed to improve rail connections between ports in the U.S. mid-Atlantic seaboard and the Midwest by upgrading bridges and tunnels to allow taller...
project which is also upgrading bridges and tunnels. Both railroads are also expanding intermodal terminal capacities in Ohio. In June, 2010, NS announced that it had reached an agreement with Ohio to extend a leg of the Heartland Corridor southwesterly from Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to Cincinnati, which is located on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
near the border where Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana converge. The $6.1 million dollar cost will be funded with federal economic stimulus funds and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, plus money from NS.
Commonwealth Railway relocation
To serve more volume with greater safety, Virginia recently entered the final completion stages of relocating the eastern portion of a short line railroad operated through Portsmouth by the Commonwealth RailwayCommonwealth Railway
The Commonwealth Railway, Inc. is a Class III short-line railroad operating of track of a former Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway line from Suffolk, Virginia, to Portsmouth, Virginia. The main office is in the Wilroy area of Suffolk. Commonwealth Railway is owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc....
to the center median of Virginia State Route 164
Virginia State Route 164
Virginia State Route 164 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as the Western Freeway, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 17 in Suffolk east to US 58 in Portsmouth...
and Interstate 664
Interstate 664
Interstate 664 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Interstate runs from I-64 and I-264 in Chesapeake north to I-64 in Hampton. I-664 forms the west side of the Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential highway serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area...
. The line extends from VPA facilities in Portsmouth to Suffolk
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
, a location which, due largely to geography of the region, has long been a rail and highway hub in the western portion of South Hampton Roads
South Hampton Roads
South Hampton Roads is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States, and is part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA with a population about 1.7 million....
. The move eliminated the prior routing of intermodal traffic along the Commonwealth Railway through neighborhoods in Portsmouth as well as reduced the hazards of grade crossings with streets and highways.
2014: Panama Canal traffic
In 2014, the Panama Canal expansion project is due to be completed. A 15-year-long project, it will double the canal's capacity and allow it to carry the bigger container vessels and bulk ships which have become favored by the shipping lines since the canal first opened in 1914. Such larger craft currently cannot use the port. Instead, much of the shipping container traffic currently uses West Coast ports such as Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. The containers then travel overland via either railroad or by trucking. By coming through the widened Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and sailing on to East Coast ports, these vessels will be able to reduce shipping time and expense to reach major U.S. markets along the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
basin and the points east of there. Much of such rail traffic now changes at "gateway" railhead cities such as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and St. Louis, from western class 1 railroads such as Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway (BNSF) to other railroads.
By using the canal and east coast ports, potentially a lot of shipping expense for the rail portion to destinations can be saved. However, keys to shipping via the western versus eastern ports are facilities at the ports, better rail links inland, shipping times, and costs.
VPA's recent lease of the massive APTM intermodal terminal at Portsmouth and its capacity expansion at the Norfolk International Terminal both help Virginia to be positioned favorably, as do the move of the local railroad line, and the planning for even more capacity at Craney Island
Craney Island
Craney Island is the name of an uninhabited island in the United States:* Craney Island Craney Island is an historical name of an inhabited island in the United States:* Harkers Island, North Carolina...
.
Currently, according to Trains magazine, Hampton Roads and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
are the only ones on the U.S. East Coast which can already handle the greater draft (channel depth) of 50–55 feet and height clearance (approximately 50 feet) which are needed for the larger ships that would begin coming through the widened canal. In the Spring of 2010, Norfolk Southern had almost completed the Heartland Corridor project and work on CSX's National Gateway was well underway. Officials in Ohio had already celebrated groundbreaking for the intermodal yard expansions by both railroads.
Port Police
Fallen Officers
Since the establishment of the Virginia Port Authority Police Department, one officer has died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Officer William Elroy Reynolds Jr. | |
Automobile accident |