Port of Virginia Blog

January TEU Totals 8% Ahead of Last Year

Norfolk -- The Port of Virginia in January handled 149,003 TEUs, an increase of 11,009 TEUs or 8 percent, when compared with the same month in 2009. January's total also tops that of December 2009 by 805 TEUs.

Also in January, the port handled 15,563 tons of breakbulk cargo. The port's January trade balance was 59 percent exports and 41 percent imports.

Governor to Speak at Ag Export Workshop

Norfolk -- A workshop on "Agricultural Trade: From Farm, to Port, to the Global Marketplace" will be held March 3-4 at the Sheraton Waterside in downtown Norfolk.

Gov. Bob McDonnell will speak at the opening luncheon. Event organizers are Virginia Tech's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia Port Authority.

The workshop is designed to provide a forum for farmers, private-sector businesses, industry officials and policymakers to discuss export opportunities for U.S. and Virginia agriculture; federal and state programs to promote agricultural exports; and specific opportunities and obstacles to agricultural and food exports.

An internationally recognized list of speakers includes Jerry A. Bridges, executive director of the Virginia Port Authority; Richard T. Crowder, former U.S. chief agriculture trade negotiator; Dr. Joe Glauber, chief economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Larry Pope, CEO of Smithfield Foods. Embassy representatives from Brazil, Canada and the European Union will participate in a panel discussion.

For more information or to register visit VaFarmBureau.org/trade/welcome.htm or call 804-290-1153.

Virginia Maritime Association Leads "Port Day" Delegation To Richmond

Richmond - On Thursday, Feb. 18, the Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) led a large delegation of state maritime professionals to Richmond for the third annual Port Day at the Virginia General Assembly. More than 40 Port stakeholders, representing a diverse cross-section of the industry, reminded Virginia's elected leadership of the vital contributions the Port of Virginia makes to the Commonwealth. 

The delegation requested the continued support of the General Assembly. More than one dozen senators and delegates, predominantly from Hampton Roads, joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton and Secretary of Commerce & Trade James Cheng in addressing the visitors. VMA President Capt. Bill Cofer of the Virginia Pilots' Association and Delegate Bob Purkey (R-Virginia Beach), led the discussions.  Speaker of the House William J. Howell (R-Fredericksburg) also shared brief remarks as did Virginia Port Authority Executive Director Jerry Bridges.

 
  
Delegate Purkey and Speaker Howell expressed appreciation for the Port's contributions to the greater good of the Commonwealth.

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton (standing, right) speaks to the Port Day team including VMA President Bill Cofer (standing, left).

Heartland Corridor on Target for Summer Opening

Norfolk – The Heartland Corridor double-stack rail project is on schedule to be completed by summer 2010, said a Norfolk Southern marketing representative speaking at the February lunch meeting of the Hampton Roads Foreign Commerce Club.

"We are on track to have the work completed in July and we should see trains and cargo moving by August," said Chris Luebbers, group manager for international marketing. "This project is going to bring a lot of benefit to our company, this port and our customers."

The project's status, as of Jan. 30, is as follows:

-- 23 of 28 (82%) tunnels completed.

-- 22 of 25 (88%) other obstructions cleared.

-- 20,924 of 28,843 linear feet (73%) of tunnel length completed.

When finished, the $290-million Heartland Corridor will be a direct double-stack rail route that links The Port of Virginia with the Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park in Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago.

The biggest part of the development of the Heartland Corridor involves creating vertical clearance in existing tunnels so that double-stack trains can safely transit.

Norfolk Southern on Wednesday also received a boost to its continued development of the Crescent Corridor. The railroad was awarded $105 million from the federal government for improvements to the 2,500-mile-long rail network.

The Crescent Corridor passes through 13 states from Louisiana to New Jersey that touches 26 percent of the nation's population and 30 percent of the nation's manufacturing output.

Last September, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia, submitted an application to USDOT for a $300 million TIGER grant to help improve Norfolk Southern's rail lines and facilities between the Gulf Coast and the Northeast. All the improvements to the Crescent Corridor are scheduled for completion in 2020.

MSC Tomoko Arrives Under Clear Skies

 

Norfolk – Clear skies and smooth water greeted the MSC Tomoko as it arrived in the Hampton Roads Harbor on President's Day (Feb. 15) shortly after noon.

The 95,000-ton Tomoko is about 300 feet longer and 40 feet wider than most of the container ships that normally come to The Port of Virginia. Despite the size difference, the vessel did not present any unique challenges for the pilot guiding it to the South Berth at NIT.

"Given our experience with the larger bulk ships and the Navy vessels here, we were prepared," said Capt. Bill Cofer, president of the Virginia Pilots Association. "Because of its size, it displaces a great deal more water, so it requires a fairly low speed as it comes in. We've got the 50-foot channel, the piers and all the necessary cargo handling equipment in place, so our port is definitely ready for vessels of this size. This is what we have been talking about and preparing for for the last 10 years or so."

The 8,400-TEU capacity vessel was pushed into berth at NIT South by a pair of tugs from Moran Towing of Virginia and work began around 2 p.m.

Two Pillars of the Hampton Roads Economy

Norfolk – As the MSC Tomoko arrived in Hampton Roads on Presidents' Day, it was altogether appropriate that she should encounter the USS LEYTE GULF (CG 55), a Ticonderoga-Class AEGIS Guided Missle Cruiser home-ported in Norfolk.

The world's largest naval base and one of the world's leading commercial ports generate tens of thousands of jobs for people living in Hampton Roads.

 

Largest Container Vessel to Call Virginia Scheduled for Monday

Norfolk – When the MSC Tomoko sails into the Hampton Roads Harbor on Presidents' Day, The Port of Virginia's future will have arrived. The vessel will be the largest to ever call at the Port and it signals the beginning of a significant change that will benefit Virginia.

For years the Port has been making the necessary improvements in its cargo handling infrastructure to attract and accommodate vessels like the Tomoko. Those improvements include new cranes and berths, reconfigured container yards, a new container rail operation and greater use of the latest cargo handling and tracking technology. With the arrival of the Tomoko, the effort begins to bear fruit.

"The arrival of the MSC Tomoko marks an exciting milepost for The Port of Virginia," said Jerry A. Bridges, Virginia Port Authority executive director. "The Suez Canal is unconstrained and the Panama Canal is undergoing a massive five-year expansion project. This doesn't mean all of the vessels calling Virginia are going to be this size, but this is the beginning.

"With two-thirds of American consumers living east of the Mississippi River, all signs point to larger and larger vessels being deployed in U.S. East Coast trade-lanes. Though the Tomooko and similar vessels pose enormous challenges for some ports, Virginia stands ready with deep water, no overhead bridge obstructions, harmonious labor relations and two Class 1 railroads ready to move the freight."

Vessels of this size also fit nicely with this summer's scheduled opening of Norfolk Southern's Heartland Corridor double-stack direct rail route to Columbus, Ohio and Chicago. A large portion of the containers moved on vessels of this size will have to be moved by rail, Bridges said and the Heartland Corridor provides the necessary rail component.

When she docks at Norfolk International Terminals south berth on Monday, the Tomoko will become the largest container vessel ever berthed and worked in Virginia. The Tomoko has an estimated capacity of 8,400 twenty-foot equivalent ocean containers, or TEUs.

-- The Tomoko is larger than a Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

-- She measures approximately 1090 feet long and 142 feet across the beam (width), or 17 containers across.

-- These dimensions earn the Tomoko post-Panamax designation, meaning she is too large to transit the Panama Canal.

-- The vessel was built by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. in 2006.

-- The Tomoko is operated by Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC).

-- The Tomoko is deployed in MSC's Golden Gate service, connecting China and Southeast Asia with the U.S. East Coast via the Suez Canal.

Ports of call on the weekly Golden Gate service include Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Yantian, Singapore, Salalah, Suez Canal transit, New York, Baltimore, Virginia, Charleston, Freeport (Bahamas), Suez Canal transit, Jeddah, Colombo, Singapore, Chiwan and Hong Kong. (There are multiple vessels in the rotation and not all are the size of the Tomoko.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port to Honor Brown Thursday with Moment of Silence

Norfolk – Workers at The Port of Virginia will observe a moment of silence and cease operations on Thursday, Feb. 11, in honor of Edward L. Brown Sr., the long-time leader of the Atlantic Coast District of the International Longshoremen's Association who died on Feb. 5.

Joseph A. Dorto, CEO and general manager of Virginia International Terminals Inc., has asked that on Thursday at 11 a.m. workers at the terminals stop what they are doing and dedicate one minute to honoring Mr. Brown and all that he gave to building the Port.

Following his military career, Brown joined the ILA Local 1248 in September 1956 and progressed through its leadership ranks. In 1968 he became the ILA president and served in that capacity until 1985. At the time of his death Brown was international vice president, as well as the general vice president of the Atlantic Coast District.

On Monday, Feb. 8, Gov. Bob McDonnell reflected on Brown's career:

"The passing of Ed Brown will leave a void in Virginia that will be difficult to fill. For 50 years, Mr. Brown worked to build the Port of Virginia into the great seaport it is today. He spent almost his entire professional life working to build strong labor relations at the Port – in large part helping to shape it into one of the Commonwealth's strongest economic engines. Much of the Port's success is due to Mr. Brown and for that Virginia owes a debt of gratitude for all that he did and gave to his job."

 

VPA Earns Fifth Consecutive Environmental Performance Award

Norfolk – The Virginia Port Authority has earned its fifth consecutive Sustained Distinguished Performance Award for its continued effort to keep the Elizabeth River and its surrounding environment clean. The award, given by the Elizabeth River Project, is that organization's highest honor given to businesses along the river for their efforts to keep the waterway healthy.

"We've earned this honor five years in a row and the plan is to continue our work indefinitely," said Heather L.W. Mantz, the VPA's director of environmental affairs. "A lot of companies had to adjust their environmental programs as result of the economy and the programs' cost; the VPA did not. The organization's leadership was firm in its commitment to the river, improving water quality and creating a better overall environment for the residents of the region."

The Elizabeth River Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships. Each year the ERP, through its River Star awards, honors those companies, communities, individuals and businesses that have done their part to take care of the river, its shoreline and its tributaries. The VPA earned its first River Star award from ERP in 2001.

This year's award recognized the VPA for three initiatives undertaken in 2009:

I-64 Express Barge Service: The container barge service from Norfolk International Terminals to the Port of Richmond has completed its first year of operation. 12,000 truck trips were eliminated from local streets and highways and greenhouse gas emissions from cargo moves to Richmond were reduced by 45 percent.

Green Operator truck retrofit program: The VPA, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Virginia Clean Cities last year received $1.2 million in federal funding to launch the "Green Operator" diesel truck retrofit program. The "GO", program is the first voluntary diesel retrofit program at a U.S. port to receive federal funding specifically earmarked for use in creating a cleaner, more fuel-efficient fleet of local trucks. To date, six trucking companies have committed to retrofitting 141 local trucks; the goal is to have between 175 and 200 trucks retrofitted by September.

Baker Street Office Building: In July, the VPA opened its first sustainable design office building at Norfolk International Terminals. The 23,000 sq. ft. structure incorporates several energy-saving design elements including a geothermal HVAC system and natural, photocell and occupancy lighting. The overall energy efficiency of the building exceeds minimum design requirements by 38 percent.

$1M in President’s Budget for Craney Island

Norfolk – The development of Craney Island Marine Terminal has taken another step forward as $1 million for the project has been included in the President's proposed 2010-2011 federal budget.

"This, we believe, clearly demonstrates the Obama Administration's commitment to this strategic project," said Jerry A. Bridges, executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. "Our thanks goes to the White House and to Virginia's delegation on Capitol Hill that pushed for inclusion in the budget. Reaching this point required tremendous effort and we truly appreciate it."

"When you look at this project as a whole, it will be very good for Virginia and the national economy. It will create jobs and taxable wages near- and long-term, and reduce the cost of getting goods to the store shelves."

A study conducted in 2005 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the long-term benefit of building Craney Island Marine Terminal would be savings of $6 billion that would not have to be invested by the federal government in large transportation infrastructure projects. The study says the project would generate 54,000 jobs with wages of $1.7 billion and local tax revenues of $155 million.

"There is no doubt that this project is important to The Port of Virginia, with benefits well beyond the Commonwealth," said U.S. Sen. Jim Webb. "The President's budget demonstrates a commitment to continued federal investment in the development and expansion of Craney Island. At the same time, we continue to believe that the merits of the project argue strongly for federal funding at levels even higher than those proposed by the President."

Construction of the Craney Island Marine Terminal is a $2.2 billion multiphase project that will result in the newest, most modern marine terminal in the United States: a 600-acre complex encompassing 8,400 linear feet of berth space, 20 Suez-class cranes and an on-terminal intermodal (rail) container transfer facility [ICTF]. The marine terminal will be built in three phases over the next 20-25 years and upon completion have capacity for at least 2.5 million TEUs.

"I am pleased that the President's budget recognizes the economic importance that the development of Craney Island has for Virginia and the nation," said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. "This vital infrastructure investment will create thousands of jobs in the region and enhance our competitiveness in the global economy.  While this proposed funding advances the expansion effort for Craney Island, I will continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional delegation to press for additional federal support for this initiative."

Work on the first phase is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2011 and finish in 2019 or 2020. This phase includes 220 acres of container yard, 3,000 linear feet of berth space, eight cranes and the ICTF.

"Expanding Craney Island will have huge benefits for Hampton Roads and our national economy and this funding demonstrates that the Administration is committed to making this project a priority," said U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye.

Port Community Mourns Loss of Edward L. Brown, Long-Time ILA Leader

Norfolk – Edward L. Brown Sr., the long-time leader of the Atlantic Coast District of the International Longshoremen's Association, died Friday Feb. 5; he was 84.

Brown spent 50 years on the Hampton Roads waterfront with the ILA, and during that career spent time solving problems and negotiating on behalf of the union from Maine to Texas. Many who knew Brown and sat on the opposite side of the table from him are quick to remember one of his favorite sayings as a negotiator: "We are in the middle of the couch."

"I think his dedication to the ILA, and in particular the men and women he represented here, will never be matched again," said Roger Giesinger, president of the Hampton Roads Shipping Association. "Ed led this Union to greatness with his forward-thinking and his ability to make decisions when they were not popular to all his members. Typically, these decisions were not only the right decisions, but decisions that created more jobs and more money for ILA benefits.

"I shall miss him … He was my colleague and friend. Edward L. Brown Sr. was one of a kind."

Brown served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army and the United States Merchant Marines, which he said led him to his career on the Hampton Roads' waterfront. Following his military career Brown joined the ILA Local 1248 in September 1956 and progressed through its leadership ranks. In 1968 he became the ILA president and served in that capacity until 1985. At the time of his death Brown was international vice president, as well as the general vice president of the Atlantic Coast District.

Brown was a native of Norfolk and was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. He was one of the first students to attend Norfolk State University when it became part of Virginia State College in 1944. Brown received an honorary degree from NSU for his dedication to the well-being and expansion of the university. In 2002 the ILA-Hampton Roads District Council established the Edward L. Brown, Sr., Endowed Professorship in Management at Norfolk State University in his honor.

Over the years, Brown has received numerous honors, including Man of the Year by the Hunton YMCA in 1984; the Martin Luther King Jr., Appreciation Award for labor activities in 1995; and the Distinguished Service Award by the Hampton Roads Maritime Association in 2005.

In 2006, his 50 years of service on the Virginia waterfront was recognized in Virginia House of Delegates Joint Resolution No. 5176.

"He was tireless in his effort to build this port into something great," said Jerry A. Bridges, executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. "He clearly understood the relationship that must exist among labor, the shipping companies and the terminal operator to have a successful business. Because of the time he had on the job Ed had the ability to see an issue from multiple points of view and that is what made him an experienced, tough and practical negotiator."