Virginia port leadership recognized for safety efforts

The Port of Virginia's insurance carrier, Signal Mutual, recently presented the its executive leadership award to Virginia International Terminals (VIT) Chief Operating Officer Joseph  Ruddy in recognition of the port's safety culture and efforts to reduce injuries and lost workdays.

The annual award is given to an executive who advances employee safety and health through a strong safety culture and a sustainable safety management system, said Port of Virginia officials in a press release. VIT is the port's privately held terminal operator.

Over the past four years, the number of lost workdays at the port as a result of on-the-job injuries has declined. Lost workdays are measured as the total number of days an employee could not work against every 200,000 hours worked, port officials said.

In fall 2025, the port created an organization-wide safety initiative titled "We Protect What Matters" and has collaborated with local International Longshoremen's Association leadership to better understand where risks are and how to mitigate them.

"These risks and rules are not about adding complexity or checking a box. They are about clarity, using common language to recognize risk, communicating more effectively and focusing our attention on the situations where the potential for serious harm is greatest," said the port's Interim CEO and Executive Director Sarah McCoy. "This organizational effort reflects our shared commitment to care, consistency, and accountability."

Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX provide on-dock rail service at the port.