Port reports cargo record for the year

Published July 12, 2018 by Jessica Sabbath

The Port of Virginia reported on Wednesday its fourth-consecutive year of volume.

The port handled 2.8 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in fiscal year 2018. That marks a 2.4 percent increase when compared with the previous fiscal year.

During the year, 62 percent of the container traffic was handled by truck, 35 percent by rail and 3 percent by barge.

Container volume at the port was down 3.4 percent for the month of June because of an effort to limit the movement of empty containers across its terminals. The port is undergoing major expansion projects at its two largest container terminals.

June volumes soared at the port’s inland terminals. The Virginia Inland Port’s volumes in Front Royal were up 21 percent, while the Richmond Marine Terminal saw an increase of 66 percent. Breakbulk tonnage increased 13 percent and total barge traffic was up 17 percent during the month.

Fiscal year 2017 (July 1 – June 30) cargo highlights:

• TEUs: 2,827,740; up 2.4 percent
• Loaded export TEUs – 1,002,662, down 3.1 percent
• Loaded import TEUs – 1,303,528, up 6.5 percent
• Total containers – 1,603,792, up 2.4 percent
• Virginia Inland Port containers – 36,710, up 5.1 percent
• Rail containers – 559,307, down 1.7 percent
• Truck containers – 995,003, up 4.7 percent
• Total barge containers – 49482, up 6.2 percent
• Richmond barge containers – 27,626, up 22.8 percent
• Vehicle units – 33,050, up 2.5 percent

June cargo highlights:
• Total TEUs – 223,842, down 3.4 percent
• Loaded export TEUs – 80,594, down 1.2 percent
• Loaded import TEUs – 105,955, up 2.9 percent
• Total containers – 127,266, down 4.1 percent
• Virginia Inland Port containers – 3,622, up 20.9 percent
• Rail containers – 41,054, down 14.8 percent
• Truck containers – 81,891, up 1.2 percent
• Total barge containers – 4,321, up 17.4 percent
• Richmond barge containers – 2,867, up 66.3 percent
• Vehicle units – 2,263, down 2.2 percent