Virginia International Gateway expansion project passes halfway mark

The $320 million Virginia International Gateway (VIG) expansion project recently passed the halfway mark, the Port of Virginia announced last week.

To mark the occasion, Gov. Ralph Northam joined state and port officials for an up-close look at the project, which is expected to wrap up in late spring 2019, port officials said in a press release.

"This project is on schedule and on budget," said Virginia Port Authority Chief Executive Officer John Reinhart. "The work here will be complete
in less than a year and all of this is being done as we handle record-setting amounts of cargo."

To date:
• Construction of the new rail yard's first phase is complete;
• Two new cranes for the rail yard's first phase have been delivered and tested;
• Construction is underway on the rail yard's second phase;
• All substructure for 800 feet of additional berth is complete; and
• 16 new shuttle trucks for the container operation have been delivered.

The port's growth will help drive the economy while building Virginia's reputation as an international business destination, Northam said.

VIG is a privately owned marine container terminal located along the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, Virginia. In 2010, the Port of Virginia and VIG entered into a 20-year lease agreement under which the port operates VIG.