Port of Virginia says volumes were flat in 2025, cites new berths and near-complete dredging

Chris, a Port of Virginia representative, told the Portsmouth Industrial Commission on Feb. 24 that calendar-year 2025 trade volumes were “somewhat flat” after an earlier 2024 uptick tied to disruptions in Baltimore.

He said the port has grown market share over the past five years compared with several East Coast peers and now has four ultra-large container vessel (ULCV) berths in operation — two at NIT and two at VIG — with a fifth berth expected at North NIT later this year. "We could work four of these massive ships ... in a single time," he said.

Chris described the long-running federal dredging project as being in a punch-list phase, with final depth verification underway in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, pilots and the Coast Guard. "We're very optimistic that here in the short term, maybe by spring, this port of Virginia will be the deepest on the entire east coast," he said.

In response to Commissioner Peterman, Chris described current utilization as closer to 50% than 90% and gave several capacity figures as approximations: about 3.5 million TDUs handled in the most recent year, a near-term handling capability "somewhere in that 4.2 million TDUs," and additional North NIT capacity of roughly 1.4 million TDUs that could bring total installed capacity to roughly 5.8–5.9 million TDUs by the end of 2027 if terminals operated at full utilization.

He also clarified that vessels are worked every day but truck-gate hours vary by forecasted demand; the port has not routinely operated a Saturday truck gate in recent years.

The commission did not take any action on the presentation; members thanked the representative for the update.