Virginia ports say they are ready to handle Gulf Coast traffic

Virginia ports say they are ready to handle Gulf Coast traffic    The Port of Virginia said Thursday it is prepared to handle cargo shipments being diverted to ports along the U.S. East Coast as a result of the disruption in shipping caused by Hurricane Katrina.
   To date, no unscheduled cargo has arrived at the port, but Rick Knapp, assistant general manager at Virginia International Terminals, said he expects to begin handling diverted cargo by the end of September — most likely frozen poultry shipments.
   Virginia is primarily a container cargo port and though cargo like fresh produce and bananas are non-traditional, Virginia is equipped to handle them. In the past, the port has handled frozen poultry, rubber, plywood and cocoa beans — all of which required specialized storage environments.
   Knapp said there is no way to forecast the amount of diverted cargo that The Port of Virginia will handle.