Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/707823
28 Proceedings Summer 2016 www.uscg.mil/proceedings These areas form a continuum, each item feeding into the other, that we manage on a daily basis. Strategic Planning How do we ensure the port is meeting the needs of today and building for the future? By accounting for a long list of items, including sustainability, infrastructure needs, and changes in trade patterns. On a hot Monday afternoon in June 2015, the port's future got a boost. Two signatures on a feasibility coast-share agree- ment — those of John F. Reinhart, the port's chief executive officer and executive director; and Colonel Paul B. Olsen, Norfolk District Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engi- neers — started the clock on a three-year process to evaluate the economics of dredging the port's channels to a depth of more than 50 feet. Deeper water and overall expansion of the port's capacity and cargo handling capability put the Port of Virginia in the position to market to the rest of the world the deepest channels and the most modern terminals on the East Coast. During the next decade, the port will require at least $2 bil- lion to add capacity to its terminals, modernize them, remain competitive, and prepare for the future. We are ever mindful of what must be done on a day-to-day basis to serve our customers, but in order to stay competitive and serve as an economic engine for years to come, we must always look to the future. There are three large projects in the port's future: • targeted redevelopment at Norfolk International Termi- nals (NIT); • expansion at Virginia International Gateway (VIG); and • the continued eastward expansion of Craney Island, which will make way to develop Craney Island Marine Terminal. Each project adds to the port's capacity, increases its ability to safely handle the biggest ships in the Atlantic trade, and Everyone is familiar with modern shipping containers. For more than 50 years, the ever-present 20-foot and 40-foot boxes have become a part of our lives. Ships carrying thou- sands of these containers transport cargo across the oceans, trucks carry them to and from distribution centers via the highway system, and railroads carry containers along rail lines into the heartland of our country. These ubiquitous boxes hold the lifeblood of our economy. Businesses use containers to bring in or ship out goods. Businesses employ people. People buy things from stores stocked with items shipped in containers … and so the cycle continues. That brings us to ports (including the Port of Virginia), which are at the center of it all. A 2013 College of William & Mary economic impact study found that more than 374,000 jobs in Virginia — nearly 10 percent of Virginia's workforce — have ties to this port, which is mainly situated in the cities of Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, Vir- ginia. Additionally, more than $60 billion is spent on port- related goods and services. 1 At the Port of Virginia, we consider ourselves the stewards of tomorrow, which means: • Ocean carriers rely on us to handle their vessels with efficiency. • Cargo owners count on us to safely and expeditiously move their goods to and from market. • Motor carriers depend on us for quick, consistent ser- vice delivery. • Taxpayers want and deserve a port that's a catalyst for job creation and economic development while staying mindful of precious environmental resources. We also believe we can best serve our role by taking a stra- tegic approach to three interrelated key areas: • strategic planning, • innovation, and • collaborative partnering. The Port of Virginia A catalyst for commerce. by Ms. Ca T h I e J. V IC k Chief Public Affairs Officer Virginia Port Authority Regions