Virginia officials said $14 million from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (VW Trust) would be used to replace Port of Virginia all-diesel cargo handling equipment with zero-emission all-electric equipment.
“As we continue to fight this global pandemic, we are reminded daily that we must prioritize public health in every way possible,” Gov. Ralph Northam said. “With this initiative, we will electrify operations at the Port of Virginia and drive the much-needed transition to clean transportation across our Commonwealth. Together, these projects show how we can make critical investments in the health and wellbeing of all Virginians while advancing our commitment to a clean energy future.”
Efforts are also underway to earmark $20 million to fund the Clean Air Communities Program to electrify government fleets across the Commonwealth.
“These are exactly the kind of transformational, innovative investments that we hoped the Commonwealth could make with the funds we secured from our enforcement action against VW,” Attorney General Mark Herring, who helped lead the multistate investigation into Volkswagen, said. “These projects at the Port of Virginia will further cement its position as the premier facility on the East Coast, and the transformation of government fleets will set an example for both the public and private sectors as we seek to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.”
The Port of Virginia endeavor will deploy two all-electric ship-to-shore cranes at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT). The new cranes would support a terminal optimization at NIT moving from a predominantly diesel-powered operation to an electrified operation supported by electric and hybrid electric cargo handling equipment.
The funding will also support the initial deployment of all-electric yard tractors and charging infrastructure at the Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) to evaluate this technology for future use at other terminals in Hampton Roads.