APMT welcomes VA port proposal extension

   APM Terminals, which made a proposal in May to operate the facilities of the Virginia Port Authority under the state’s Public-Private Transportation Act, said it welcomes the state’s decision to extend the time in which competing bids can be made.
   “Since the announcement by the Commonwealth of the receipt of our proposal and the PPTA process timeline there have been a number of comments about whether sufficient time as been allotted others to submit alternative proposals. The PPTA Office has announced an extension of time for others to submit conceptual proposals. We welcome this extension,” said John Crowley, senior vice president for law and regulatory affairs at APM Terminals.
   The state said this week it would allow alternative proposals through Aug. 13 instead of July 12, as originally announced.
   State Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton told American Shipper that a couple of groups of potential investors had requested more time.
   Meanwhile, the Virginia Pilot newspaper said Connaughton wants the current port operator, Virginia International Terminals,  to file a proposal to continue to run the terminal.
   The newspaper quoted an email from Connaughton saying “this is an opportunity for VIT to demonstrate why it should remain the sole container terminal operator in the Port of Virginia.”
   The newspaper said Joe Dorto, chief executive officer of VIT, told it VIT is preparing a presentation to the state that will include volume and revenue projections. – Chris Dupin