VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edwards delivered the 2024 State of the Port address Thursday at the Marriot on the Oceanfront.
Edwards said the past year was “a remarkable year” for the port.
“We do now call ourselves America’s most modern gateway," Edwards emphasized.
In recent months, News 3 told you about some of the work being done at the port.
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That includes new electric cranes to move shipping containers, improvements to the shipping channel and the port’s response to the bridge collapse in Baltimore.
“We’ve had the spotlight on us since Baltimore," said Edwards. "Now we’ve got a room full of people, some of whom do business here some of whom don’t yet do business here. They’re all getting together to talk about ‘What more can we do in Virginia?’ That’s what this is about."
Truck transport and repair business told News 3 that the bridge collapse gave business a boost.
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“We had numerous containers, all double-stacked all the way out," the terminal manager for Integrity Drayage in Portsmouth told News 3 in April.
“On an every day basis, we’re meeting a truck in the side of the road," the owner of Cottles Enterprises, a truck repair shop in Portsmouth, said.
Some of the cargo that would go to Baltimore has been rerouted to the Port of Virginia since the bridge collapsed in March.
Edwards estimated at least 15,000-20,000 extra container loads, as well as helicopters and other large pieces of machinery that don't usually get shipped through the port, made their way here.
“To see our longshoremen and women handle them appropriately, to see our operations team handling them appropriately, we’ve got a lot to be immensely proud of," said Edwards.
As for the future, he looks forward to taking advantage of changes in the global market.
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“Goods are increasingly coming from south and southeast Asia instead of northeast Asia. The Port of Virginia is ready to capitalize on this opportunity that favors East Coast ports over West Coast ports," Edwards explained. "Our strongest growth is coming from India and we expect to see continued growth in the coming years.”
There were also multiple projects underway through 2027 to help continue to improve the port.
At the end of the address, Virginia's Speaker of the House presented a resolution to Edwards, recognizing the port for the work it does.
