Virginia Port Sets January Volume Record

191,996 TEUs moved across the U.S. Port of Virginia in January, making it the highest-volume January on record and besting last year’s mark by 24,725 TEUs.

The port posted a 22 percent gain in rail containers; a 17 percent jump in barge cargo; and truck volume was up 12 percent.

John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, said that since the beginning of the year, the port has had a few weeks of good tempo at the gates, but it is still inconsistent.

”Our goal is 60 minutes or less per transaction and the numbers are trending in the right direction and it is our focus to hit that 60-minute mark, consistently, every week,” Reinhart said. ”We think greater use of Saturday gates and shifting more, smaller vessel services over to PMT to take some pressure off Virginia International Gateway and Norfolk International Terminals will be contributors to achieving that goal with consistency.”

The fiscal-year-to-date performance also shows volume growth at the port. Through the first seven months of fiscal 2015, TEU volumes are up 8.4 percent; rail containers up 3 percent; barge containers up 27 percent; truck volume up 11 percent; and ship calls up 8 percent.