THE US port of Virginia handled a record-breaking 2.93 million TEU in 2019, a year-on-year increase of three per cent, as loaded imports were up three per cent; empty exports up 10 per cent; barge volumes rose 18 per cent; and the amount of cargo moving over Richmond Marine Terminal grew by 19.5 per cent.
Truck volumes rose by two per cent, but rail volume remained flat, reported AJOT.
Virginia Port Authority CEO John Reinhart said: 'We had a very successful year, having set a new record for volume, though our growth was not as much as we had planned. Trade thrives in a predictable environment and the tariffs created some uncertainty across the industry that had an effect on our year-end totals, but we don't measure success only in terms of cargo volume.
'Throughout the year we made significant gains on our projects. We debuted an expanded Virginia International Gateway (VIG) in June, got underway with our dredging effort that will make Virginia the deepest port on the US east coast in four years and are on track and on budget to bring the expansion of Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) to a close in late 2020.'
Mr Reinhart also pointed to the port's expanding role in driving economic investment and job creation, after the port was instrumental in helping to generate 3,500 new jobs and the development of five million square feet of space that had a total investment value of US$2 billion.
December is the half-way mark in fiscal year 2020, handling 1,483,509 units, while gate volumes rose 2.3 per cent loaded imports went up by three per cent, and barge volume grew by 18.6 per cent.
The calendar year was completed with December TEU volumes of 224,902 units, a decrease of 6.7 per cent when compared with last December. Also in December, Richmond Marine Terminal volume was up 29 per cent; loaded exports, up four per cent; and total barge volume up 19 per cent.
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Truck volumes rose by two per cent, but rail volume remained flat, reported AJOT.
Virginia Port Authority CEO John Reinhart said: 'We had a very successful year, having set a new record for volume, though our growth was not as much as we had planned. Trade thrives in a predictable environment and the tariffs created some uncertainty across the industry that had an effect on our year-end totals, but we don't measure success only in terms of cargo volume.
'Throughout the year we made significant gains on our projects. We debuted an expanded Virginia International Gateway (VIG) in June, got underway with our dredging effort that will make Virginia the deepest port on the US east coast in four years and are on track and on budget to bring the expansion of Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) to a close in late 2020.'
Mr Reinhart also pointed to the port's expanding role in driving economic investment and job creation, after the port was instrumental in helping to generate 3,500 new jobs and the development of five million square feet of space that had a total investment value of US$2 billion.
December is the half-way mark in fiscal year 2020, handling 1,483,509 units, while gate volumes rose 2.3 per cent loaded imports went up by three per cent, and barge volume grew by 18.6 per cent.
The calendar year was completed with December TEU volumes of 224,902 units, a decrease of 6.7 per cent when compared with last December. Also in December, Richmond Marine Terminal volume was up 29 per cent; loaded exports, up four per cent; and total barge volume up 19 per cent.
WORLD SHIPPING