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May Sets New Monthly Volume Record for the Port of Virginia

[ June 13, 2017   //   ]

The Port of Virginia® moved 246,871 TEUs in May, which is growth of 12.5% when compared with the same month last year and an all-time record for productivity at the port.

“The new alliances and the cargo owners are capitalizing on Virginia’s natural and manmade assets and our team is performing well,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “This kind of volume, combined with the growth we’ve had throughout the calendar and fiscal year, tells us that the industry is confident in The Port of Virginia’s ability to handle their cargo and do it well.”

The growth was seen in all areas of the operation and comes on the heels of back-to-back calls from 13,000-TEU vessels in May. According to an analysis of the new ocean carrier alliances published in April by BlueWater Reporting, The Port of Virginia is the top U.S. East Coast port for deployed capacity for Asia-USEC alliance services with seven services deploying more than 61,000 TEUs weekly. As the vessels are increasing in cargo capacity, the number of vessel calls is, as expected, declining. In May, there were 143 vessel calls vs. 173 calls in May 2016, yet cargo surged more than 12%.

“May marks our highest monthly volume at the port, surpassing the previous record set last October by five percent and with the fiscal year (FY2017) drawing to a close, we are up more than seven percent,” Reinhart said. “In addition to our volumes, there is a lot of activity at the port: the expansion of Virginia International Gateway is progressing on schedule and we are also preparing to open the new North Gate at Norfolk International Terminals at the end of June. As peak season approaches, we remain mindful of safety and our levels of service, and continue to emphasize our performance and efficiency.”

 May Cargo Snapshot

  • Loaded Export TEUs – 85,824, up 6%
  • Loaded Import TEUs – 100,594, up 9%
  • Containers – 141,218, up 13%
  • Rail Containers – 46,840, up 3%
  • Barge Containers – up 4,084, up 49%
  • Truck Containers – 90,294, up 18%
  • Richmond Marine Terminal Containers – 1,684, up 29%

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