Virginia Port Authority reorganizes

Virginia Port Authority reorganizes The Virginia Port Authority is reorganizing under a plan approved by its board Tuesday.
   The port is seeking to reduce its 157-person staff by about 7 percent through offering older employees buyouts.
   Another 18 employees involved in sales and marketing will be moved to the port’s Virginia International Terminals (VIT) affiliate, which operates three terminals in Hampton Roads area — Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminals — as well as the Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal.
   In addition the port will appoint three deputy executive directors.
   The reorganization, the first major overall in about three decades, was planned by Jerry Bridges, the port’s executive director, who joined the VPA in January 2007 after running the Port of Oakland.
   Spokesman Joe Harris said the port believes the new structure will save money and be more efficient. Sales and marketing for both the terminal operating company and port will be done under one roof at VIT and it is expected there will be even more cross interaction by employees in different departments within the port.
   “In the past 30 years, we’ve had good success, and Jerry thinks this will help us be even more successful,” Harris said.
   The Port of Virginia’s maritime terminals handled 17.7 million tons of general cargo in 2007, 58 percent more than in 1998, and 2.1 million TEU of containerized cargo in 2007, 70 percent more than in 1998.