“This is the first time in our history that we have eclipsed 200,000 TEU in a single month,” said Rodney W. Oliver, interim executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “The record-high container volume also marks the best fiscal-year start in the port’s history.”
Last month, the port moved 205,137 TEU a 13.7 percent increase in volume when compared with the same month last year. The calendar year volume is 1.25 million TEUs, up 7.2 percent over the same period last year.
The former single-month record was 199,448 TEUs set in October 2007.
“In July, we saw a nice balance of import and export cargo – a bit heavier on exports — meaning customers are taking advantage of those first-in and last-out port calls here,” Oliver said.
Import TEUs tallied 98,774 and exports were 106,363 in July, increases of 14.9 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively. For the calendar year, imports are up 8.9 percent and exports are 5.7 percent.
“Additionally, our rail volume continues to be strong: In July we handled 37,985 rail containers and that figure represents the second-best month for rail in the history of the port, after the all-time record set earlier in May.”