June 20, 2026 - More cargo and coal will be able to move through the Norfolk harbor now that a $450 million shipping channel widening and deepening has been completed.

Thursday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger and other dignitaries gathered at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) to “cut the ribbon” on what has now been dubbed the deepest port on the East Coast.

After a more than four years of work by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a ship can now navigate through water at least 55 feet deep, from the Atlantic Ocean Channel off the coast of Virginia Beach to Downtown Norfolk. It’s a distance of roughly 40-miles according information from the Virginia Maritime Association.

The Virginia Port Authority, which operates NIT, Virginia International Gateway and the Newport News Marine Terminal through the Port of Virginia name, touted the channels ability to now host the largest cargo ships in the Atlantic trade without capacity restrictions.

“Those sails can come in fully laden regardless of time, and they can load heavy with a deep draft,” Sarah McCoy, the recently appointed CEO of the Port of Virginia, said. That’ll allow for more cargo which translates to additional jobs for International Longshoreman according to McCoy.

Widening of the channel occurred at the same time. McCoy said allowing for two way traffic is a game changer. 

“(Ships) don’t have to wait in the harbor for us to move one vessel out to move them in, McCoy said. “The longer (the ship) dwells, the more consumers like you and I are paying for our goods ultimately down the line. And so now, with two way traffic, we’ve cut berth stays in half. And with this deeper channel, we are moving those vessels 15% faster than, than prior to the opening of that channel.”

Previously the channel was only 50 feet deep. David White, executive director of the Virginia Maritime Association, said that five feet makes a difference not for only container ships handled at the Port of Virginia, but also for the bulk carrier’s docking at Norfolk Southern’s Lamberts Point Pier 6 or Newport News’ coal piers.

“In some instances they would leave here and have to pick up coal before their final destination,” White said. “Now they can load up here.” 

The project was funded with a 50% in state funds and 50% in funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In addition to completion of the dredge work, contractors are half-way through construction on the North Berth modernization and expansion project. Four new low-profile ship-to-shore cranes are on site and work continues on a container stack-yard reconfiguration.

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.