Yang Ming to offer Richmond bill of lading

The liner carrier will allow shippers to take advantage of barge service between Port of Virginia terminals and inland river port, lessening truck traffic on I-64 corridor.    The Port of Virginia said Tuesday that ocean carrier Yang Ming has begun offering a bill of lading to the Port of Richmond.
   Any importer or exporter tendering cargo to or from Yang Ming at the Port of Richmond will have access to any port worldwide that is served by the ocean carrier.
   The Port of Virginia has been working with Richmond to drive increased use of a barge service that takes containers off the highways that connect the ports.
   “This is another step in expansion and revitalization of the Port of Richmond,” John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, said in a statement. “This decision adds to the increasing significance of the barge service that connects the Port of Virginia terminals and the Port of Richmond.”
   The 64 Express barge service currently offers three weekly roundtrip container-on-barge sailings between Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia International Gateway and the Port of Richmond. The barge service accounts for about 15,000 fewer truck trips a year along Interstate 64.
   The port of Richmond is a 121-acre facility located on the west bank of the James River, just south of downtown Richmond. The rail-served facility has more than 1,500 feet of marginal wharf with 22 feet of draft and 300,000-plus square-feet of on-terminal warehouse space.