Port of Virginia Blog

VPA Board to Meet Tuesday, July 24, at 11 a.m.

Norfolk – The Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners will convene its regular board meeting at noon on Tuesday, July 24, at 11 a.m. The meeting will be held in the board room of the VPA offices that are on the sixth floor of the World Trade Center building in downtown Norfolk (23510). The meeting is open to the public. The agenda and meeting materials can be viewed at the following Web address: http://www.portofvirginia.com/about/board-room.aspx.

June Sets Record for Cargo; Gate Hours Expanded

Norfolk – The Port of Virginia handled 168,430 TEUs in June, an increase of 11.2 percent when compared with totals from June 2011. Year-to-date, the port has handled 994,727 TEUs vs. 943,907 TEUs handled during the same period last year, an increase of 5.4 percent.

"June 2012 is the best June in the history of the port for TEUs, containers and rail," said Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Executive Director Jerry A. Bridges. "I think we are going to continue to gain ground as indicators continue to point to growth for The Port of Virginia."

Also in June the breakbulk tonnage total was 34,347, a decrease of 24.6 percent when compared with totals from last June. Still, the year-to-date breakbulk comparison in tons (2012 vs. 2011) has increased 11 percent: 187,762 vs. 168,939, respectively.

Total rail containers handled in June were 30,954, a 9.3 percent increase when compared with last June. The year-to-date rail containers total is 179,748 vs. 160,018 for the same period last year; an increase of 12 percent.

The number of containers moved between the Port of Richmond and the Hampton Roads Harbor on the 64 Express barge service in June was 803, an increase of 147 percent when compared with May. The year-to-date total for the barge is up 104 percent: 4,797 containers vs. 2,248 containers handled during the same period in 2011.

The continued increase in business at the port has led Virginia International Terminals Inc. (VIT), the VPA's private terminal operator, to expand weekday gate hours at APM Terminals in Portsmouth to help motor carriers.

"In response to double digit growth over the past few months driven by three new vessel services calling the port, VIT will expand its gate hours at APMT an additional three hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday," said Joseph A. Dorto, VIT's chief executive officer. "As we approach the traditional peak season period, I anticipate volumes to remain strong through November. That being the case, we will be forthcoming with a plan to address gate hours at Norfolk International Terminals in the very near future."

Calendar year TEU totals, 2012 vs. 2011:

• June 2012 = 168,430
• June 2011 = 151,449
• May 2012 = 178,584
• May 2011 =158,539
• April 2012 = 169,644
• April 2011 = 161,254
• March 2012 = 166,719
• March 2011 = 159,754
• February 2012 = 157,050
• February 2011 = 153,646
• January 2012 = 154,300
• January 2011 = 159,265

Above: The first-in call from China of MOL's SVS service is helping to drive cargo volumes.

Commonwealth Extends Deadline for Submission of Competing Proposals

Richmond – Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton today (Wednesday, July 11) announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia is extending the deadline for submission of alternative proposals related to the Port of Virginia until Aug. 13.

The Commonwealth is allowing for submission of alternative proposals in response to the unsolicited conceptual proposal from APM Terminals, Inc. (APMT) to operate certain state-owned/leased terminals of the Port of Virginia. On May 23, the Commonwealth accepted for further review an unsolicited conceptual proposal from APMT pursuant to the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995.

The Office of the Secretary, through the Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships, today issued an addendum to the Request for Alternative Proposals which sets out the revised schedule for submission of alternative proposals. Once the alternative proposals, if any, are received, the Commonwealth will determine whether or not to advance one or more or none of the proposals. 

The Commonwealth is under no obligation to accept any alternative proposals or enter into any agreements related to APMT's unsolicited conceptual proposal or any alternative proposal.   

A copy of APMT's unsolicited proposal and the addendum to the Request for Alternative Proposals, as well as information about how the public can provide comments on APMT's unsolicited proposal, can be found at the following link:

http://www.vappta.org/unsolicited_conceptual_ppta_proposal_brto_operate_port_of_virginia.asp.

Maersk Line Haulers to Use Equipment Managed by Direct Chassis Link

Norfolk – Beginning Sept. 1, all motor carriers hauling for Maersk Line at The Port of Virginia will begin using chassis that are managed by Direct Chassis Link.

Drivers using Direct Chassis Link services must complete and interchanger agreement ahead of the Sept. 1 implementation date. Drivers can find details on the interchange agreement and other information on the implementation at Direct Chassis Link's website: www.chassislink.com.

"Virginia Intermodal Management and HRCP II are still in place and unchanged," said Joe Ruddy, chief operating officer at Virginia International Terminals Inc. "The goal is to make this seamless and not create confusion for the drivers. Drivers will still find their chassis available at the normal locations and the chassis pool will continue to operate as normal."

The chassis will be available at APM Terminals Portsmouth (APM), Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) and the CSX and Norfolk Southern rail ramps. These locations, however, are not start/stop locations and drivers are asked to check www.chassislink.com for those locations.

Virginia International Terminals is the Virginia Port Authority's private, non-stock terminal operating company.