WATCH: Port of Virginia CEO talks about tariffs, investment, and why her new cranes are the most unique among U.S. container hubs

State port agency removes ‘interim’ tag to elevate leader

(Photo: Port of Virginia)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Just weeks after she had delivered her first State of the Port address in April, the Virginia Port Authority had seen enough – elevating Sarah McCoy from interim leader to its new chief executive and executive director.

The 11-year agency veteran and former chief counsel lands as one of the new generation of North American port leaders in an era where chaos, change and geopolitics go hand-in-hand with planning, infrastructure and investment. Virginia ranked sixth among U.S. container ports in 2025, moving 3.24 million TEUs.

Prior to her title change, McCoy spoke with FreightWaves at the port event.  

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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Stuart Chirls

Stuart Chirls is a journalist who has covered the full breadth of railroads, intermodal, container shipping, ports, supply chain and logistics for Railway Age, the Journal of Commerce and IANA. He has also staffed at S&P, McGraw-Hill, United Business Media, Advance Media, Tribune Co., The New York Times Co., and worked in supply chain with BASF, the world's largest chemical producer. Reach him at stuartchirls@firecrown.com.