NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The Port of Virginia has rebounded from February storms that reduced container volume, setting a single-month record in March.
The port moved 229,410 containers, a 16 increase from March 2014. Some of the increase was due to postponing the entry of nearly 7,000 containers from February to March, the Virginia Port Authority told media outlets.
Container volume had fallen by 1 percent in February after two storms shut down the port’s operations for nearly four days.
March’s record volume wasn’t all good news, however.
“That amount of volume, some of which was carried over from February, presented a challenge to our team at every phase of the operation,” John Reinhart, executive director and CEO of the authority, said in a statement to media outlets. “It was most acute at Virginia International Gateway, where our operational consistency was overtaken by sheer TEU volume. Our delivery of service at the VIG gate for the first three weeks of March was unacceptable.”
Truck container volume increased in March by 11.3 percent, from 194,433 containers in March 2014 to 216,469. The port’s rail container business increased by 16.7 percent, from 37,972 in March 2014 to 44.274.
“We understand the hardship this period put on our motor carriers and customers and we are grateful for their patience through what has been a very difficult period,” Reinhart said.
Steps have been taken to alleviate congestion, including the addition of more cargo handling equipment at Portsmouth Marine Terminal and construction of a rail-container yard at Virginia International Gateway, he said.
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