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1/7/2026
Port of Virginia's $450 million channel deepening and widening project is slated for completion in early 2026, marking a milestone in the port's ongoing efforts to accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCV).
When completed, the project will result in 55-deep channels that are wide enough to handle two-way traffic of the largest trade ships in the Atlantic Ocean, said port authority officials in a press release.
Meanwhile, this month port officials will inaugurate the port's fourth berth capable of accommodating ULCVs. The South Berth of Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) is entering into service four new cranes capable of handling ULCVs. NIT offers shippers direct, on-dock rail access with Norfolk Southern Railway and intermodal access with CSX.
A fifth ULCV berth is under development at NIT's North Berth. The port estimates operations will begin in 2027, after it completes a $650 million terminal reconfiguration.
The expansion and berth projects are part of the port's $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Project, a multiyear strategic investment in port infrastructure to ensure the port remains competitive and capable of handling the largest container vessels.
When the Gateway Investment Program is complete, the port will be able to handle nearly 6 million 20-foot equivalent units and 2 million rail lifts annually.