Port of Virginia details major expansion projects, including becoming deepest port on East Coast

The Port of Virginia plans to complete a number of massive infrastructure projects by mid-2027, including becoming the East Coast’s deepest port by August 2025, said Stephen Edwards, the Virginia Port Authority’s CEO and executive director.

Speaking Thursday at the State of the Port event in Virginia Beach, Edwards said the $1.4 billion in infrastructure projects come as port officials look to do more business with regions like the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

“The Port of Virginia is ready to capitalize on this opportunity that favors East Coast ports over West Coast ports,” Edwards said during the speech.

According to port officials, business from the Indian subcontinent could increase by 70% in the coming years, while business from Northeast Asia could shrink by 7%.

The infrastructure projects include:

• Upgrades to the central railyard at Norfolk International Terminals, which include two new rail track bundles and three new rail-mounted cranes. These upgrades are now finished, a port official said last week.
• Deepening the harbor to 55 feet and the Atlantic Ocean channel approaching the port to about 59 feet, which is scheduled to finish in August 2025.
• Modernizing the north berth at Norfolk International Terminals, which will allow for greater capacity and improved productivity. That work is being completed in phases, with the last phase scheduled for completion in July 2027.

The upgrades come as the port assists with traffic diverted from Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26. Baltimore handles much of the country’s large non-container cargo, so Hampton Roads terminals are only able to process a small part of that traffic, maritime officials told The Virginian-Pilot earlier this year.

Still, videos displayed during the event and on social media show construction equipment and even a large helicopter being unloaded in Hampton Roads.

“I know we all look forward to a time when the Port of Baltimore is once again up and running,” Edwards said in his speech. “Until then, the Port of Virginia remains dedicated to delivering world-class service and stepping up no matter the circumstances.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to have the 50-foot-deep Baltimore channel fully reopened by the end of May, the organization said in a news release.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com