Completion of $450 Million Norfolk Harbor Dredging Project

[By The Port of Virginia]

With an audience of more than 200 people gathered today at Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger today inaugurated The Port of Virginia’s® newest asset: the deepest harbor and shipping channel anywhere on the US East Coast.

Though the $450 million effort to deepen the channel to 55 feet was complete in February, the governor introduced the project to the world today.

“Today, we are sending a clear message to the entire world: The Port of Virginia is wide open for business,” Spanberger said. “The port is now home to the deepest commercial shipping channel on the entire East Coast of the United States. Because of this investment, the largest cargo ships in the Atlantic trade, and the next generation coming behind them, can now safely transit Norfolk Harbor with a full load.

“This project allows ocean carriers to load more Virginia agricultural and forestry exports than ever before, soybeans, wood pulp, and lumber, keeping shipping costs down and keeping our farmers competitive on the global stage. And when manufacturers are deciding where to relocate, they will have the peace-of-mind knowing that their goods can be moved reliably and efficiently.”

The deepening was substantially completed Feb. 28, with ongoing maintenance and clean-up efforts being conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Once all support work has concluded, with the expanded and deepened channel surveyed and depths verified, maritime charts will be update to reflect the increased capacity.

The dredging project also included widening areas of the channel, which allows for two-way traffic of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs); the widening project was completed in Feb. 2024.

Preparing for the Future

Virginia Port Authority CEO and Executive Director Sarah J. McCoy said the port’s assets — modern terminals, twenty-first century cargo conveyance systems, on-dock, double-stack rail, overall growing efficiency and expanding berth capacity for ULCVs — combined with deep, wide channels position the port for the future.

“Delivering projects like the 55-foot channel are important today, but the real value of what we are doing is how it positions us for the future,” McCoy said. “With all of our foundational elements in place, we are assuring our customers and port users that they will be able to expand their operations and cargo volumes at The Port of Virginia without concern for outgrowing our capabilities. We’re prepared today for the demands of decades to come.”

Gateway Investment Program

The dredging project is a foundational element of the Gateway Investment Program, a capital construction campaign that started in 2023. The program’s projects are:

• $450M: Deepening the channel/harbor and widening it to ensure safe, two-way ULCV passage – dredge work is complete
• $83M: Expanding the port’s annual rail capacity to 2 million TEUs – fully operational
• $220M: Converting Portsmouth Marine Terminal, a legacy container terminal, into a deep-water heavy-lift facility – fully operational
• $650M: Renovating and reconfiguring the North Berth at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) – construction is past the half-way mark with completion scheduled for mid-2027

Growing Capabilities

In addition to completion of the dredge work, the event marked the half-way point of construction on the North Berth modernization and expansion project, which includes four new low-profile ship-to-shore cranes, a reconfigured container stack-yard and an expanded technology backbone. When the North Berth work is complete the port’s annual throughput capacity will be 5.8 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Moreover, when the North Berth opens it will allow the port’s fifth ULCV berth to come online.

Critical Support

McCoy said the success of the project has been driven by the long-term support it has received from Virginia’s Congressional delegation, the Virginia Legislature, the Norfolk District of US Army Corps of Engineers and the Virginia Maritime Association (VMA).

“We absolutely would not be here today if it weren’t for the perseverance of our elected leaders at the federal and state levels, the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Norfolk District office and the VMA,” McCoy said. “From the beginning, this [dredging] project received widespread support and Virginia’s leaders in Washington, DC, were integral to its success. Our congressional delegation played a critical role in helping us to understand and navigate the process to secure funding and keep the project moving forward.”

The dredge work began in December 2019, nearly two-and-a-half years ahead of schedule. The port’s preparation for the project, its collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the support of elected officials and the state’s willingness to fully-fund the project ahead of the federal investment were factors behind the early start of construction.

“The completion of the Norfolk Harbor deepening and widening project is a huge win for Virginia. Our Commonwealth is now home to the deepest harbor and shipping channel on the East Coast,” said US Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA). “The expanded port will be reliable, efficient, and quick, attracting business from around the world. I’m thrilled that funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could be used to support increased traffic at The Port of Virginia, create new economic opportunities for the Hampton Roads region, and secure the Commonwealth’s future as an integral part of our country’s commerce and trade.”

“This dredging project, by allowing some of the world’s largest cargo ships to comfortably transit Norfolk Harbor, will reinforce The Port of Virginia’s status as a critical pillar of the Commonwealth’s economic success now and well into the future,” said US Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’m proud to have helped secure funding for the Gateway Investment Program in Congress, and I will always be a staunch advocate for legislation and funding that keeps Virginia at the economic forefront.”