The Port of Virginia was waiting for the final pieces of equipment to complete their $450 million in renovations they have been working on for the last three years. So finally, the Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) have welcomed a pair of giant container cranes. Here is more on this development.
The Virginia Port Authority Celebrates
This arrival marks a significant moment. “It’s a landmark moment for The Port of Virginia because it signals the completion of the overall expansion of this port that started back in 2016” said the CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, John F. Reinhart. “With these units, we’ll have significant lift capacity in the harbor and the ability to handle multiple ULCVs [ultra-large container ships] at once at both NIT and Virginia International Gateway [VIG]. This benefits the port’s users and it says, very clearly, to the ocean carriers and the industry that we are prepared to handle big ships and growing cargo volumes safely, swiftly and sustainably for decades to come.”
A Long Time Coming
The purchase of cranes was approved back in August 2017 by the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners. Shanghai-based company Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, Ltd was brought on to build the cranes. They had also delivered four identical cranes to VIG in 2019. These cranes are the biggest of their kind to exist in the United States. They will be able to accommodate huge container vessels called ULCVs. They also have a capacity of 26 containers wide, which is far beyond the capacity reach of most operating cranes.
Huge Advancement for The Port of Virginia
Once the new cranes are up and running, The Port of Virginia will have a total of thirty ship-to-shore cranes in operation in Norfolk Harbor. This will give them the ability to service the largest of the container ships sailing the Atlantic Ocean.
These cranes are a huge accomplishment and we are excited to watch the future developments.