Port of Virginia sets September record for container traffic

September marked the seventh straight month in which box volumes exceeded 210,000 TEUs as the mid-Atlantic port continued to receive a portion of cargoes shippers have diverted from West Coast gateways to avoid congestion issues.    The Port of Virginia set a record for the month of September with container volumes reaching 215,520 TEUs, a 7.2 percent increase compared to September 2014, according to a statement from the port authority. The port also reported an improvement in its financial health.
   September marked the seventh straight month of box volumes exceeding 210,000 TEUs as the mid-Atlantic port continued to receive a portion of cargoes shippers have diverted from West Coast gateways to avoid congestion issues.
   The influx of cargo in the past two years has also put operational pressure on the Port of Virginia, which continues to make process improvements and investments in equipment, labor and infrastructure upgrades, in an attempt to speed up container handling and reduce queue times for truck drivers.
   Containerized exports at the port grew 8.4 percent, while imports were up 5.7 percent.
   Year-to-date the Port of Virginia is 8.8 percent ahead of its 2014 volumes with 1.9 million TEUs handled so far in 2015.
   The port is also 6 percent ahead of the previous year’s volumes for the first three months of the fiscal year, which began July 1, according to the Virginia Port Authority.
   In comparison with last September, rail units were up 16 percent, Virginia Inland Port (VIP) volumes grew 43 percent, truck volumes were up 2 percent and vehicle units were up 133 percent.
   “We have brought stability and consistency to all phases of our operation and we are showing growth and positive financial results,” VPA Executive Director John F. Reinhart said in a statement. “This shows that the industry is responding: Our message that The Port of Virginia is an innovative, responsive and strategic operation is beginning to resonate. The port’s capital reinvestment program is just underway and we have a lot of work to do, but we have a clear path forward and we have the support of our labor partners, stakeholders and customers.”
   The port’s consolidated financial performance in the first two months of the fiscal year (July/August) is positive as well. Total operating revenues stand at $80.5 million and operating income is $3.5 million. The audited fiscal year 2015 results confirmed operating income of $13.6 million, an improvement of $30.1 million when compared with the $16.5 million loss taken in the previous fiscal year.