The Port of Virginia recently opened its wider shipping channel for two-way passage of ultra-large container vessels.
Dredging work began in December 2019. It was completed with the collaboration and support of state, local and community elected officials, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District Office.
The widening is part of the port’s $1.4 billion strategic infrastructure investment package. Investments are focused on increasing the speed of cargo moving through the port, supporting larger cargo volumes and creating efficiency.
Widening the channel reduces the amount of time larger vessels spend on berth by up to 15 percent.
“This is a true advantage for anyone delivering to or from America,” Stephen A. Edwards, Virginia Port Authority CEO and executive director, said. “Our wider channel sets The Port of Virginia apart by allowing for consistent vessel flow, increasing berth and container yard efficiencies, and further improving harbor safety.”
The port also is dredging the Norfolk Harbor to 55 feet deep and the ocean approach to 59 feet deep. Once the $450 million project completes in 2025, the Port of Virginia will have the deepest, widest channels on the East Coast.
The Virginia Port Authority, a political subdivision of Virginia, owns and operates, through its private operating subsidiary, four general cargo facilities.