The Port of Virginia completes a 55-foot channel, enhancing access for ultra-large vessels as part of a $1.4 billion expansion initiative.
The Port of Virginia has finished dredging a 55-foot channel, the deepest on the US east coast, as part of a US$1.4 billion programme to expand ultra-large vessel access, reports Container Management.
The project, completed on 28 February, allows two-way traffic for ultra-large container vessels without tidal or draught restrictions. Combined with a widening finished in February 2024, Virginia is now the only east coast gateway able to handle the largest ships without limits.
The dredging and widening cost $450 million. Other elements of the Gateway Investment Programme include $83 million for rail expansion to 2 million TEU annually, $220 million to convert Portsmouth Marine Terminal into a heavy-lift facility, and $650 million for a fifth ULCV berth at Norfolk International Terminals, due mid-2027.
Four new Suez-class cranes were deployed at NIT South in early 2026. Interim executive director Sarah McCoy said the restriction-free channel makes Virginia 'America's most modern gateway.'
