Port of Virginia sees cargo increase in January

Published February 12, 2019 by Jessica Sabbath

The Port of Virginia reported an 8.9 percent increase in its container volume in January.

The port handled 240,111 TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units, during the month.

Truck traffic was up 9.2 percent, while the number of containers traveling via rail was up 3 percent.

Loaded container imports were up 5.4 percent in the month, while loaded export containers were up 2.2 percent.

Container traffic traveling from the port’s Hampton Roads terminals via barge to the Richmond Marine Terminal was up 54.1 percent to 3,406 containers.

To date, container traffic during the current fiscal year is up 2.8 percent.

The port also reported a drop in “turn times” for motor carriers at its two largest marine terminals, which both are undergoing major expansion projects. Turn times measure how long the port can process motor carriers retrieving or dropping off containers at port terminials.

Virginia Port Authority CEO and Executive Director John Reinhart said in a news release that turn times fell 33 percent to 41.8 minutes at Virginia International Gateway in Portsmouth and 52.6 minutes at Norfolk International Terminals.

January Cargo Snapshot
• Total TEUs – 240,111, up 8.9 percent
• Loaded Export TEUs – 77,948, up 2.2 percent
• Loaded Import TEUs – 109,757, up 5.4 percent
• Total Containers – 134,638, up 7.4 percent
• Breakbulk Tonnage – 15,086 (tons), down 13.8 percent
• Virginia Inland Port Containers – 3,372, up 8.8 percent
• Total Rail Containers – 45,604, up 3.0 percent
• Total Truck Containers – 84,060, up 9.2 percent
• Total Barge Containers – 4.974, up 21.5 percent
• Richmond Barge Containers – 3,406, up 54.1 percent
• Vehicle Units – 1,977 – down 21.5 percent