Virginia International Terminals

What Virginia International Terminals does

Virginia International Terminals, LLC (VIT) is the private operating subsidiary of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and conducts business as The Port of Virginia. Founded in 1972 as part of the port unification and headquartered in Norfolk, VIT operates a six-terminal system: Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) and the leased Virginia International Gateway (VIG) as semi-automated container terminals; Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) for breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off cargo; Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) as a $220 million offshore wind energy hub supporting Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project; Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) for barge service; and the Virginia Inland Port (VIP) in Front Royal as an intermodal inland facility.

VIT's technology stack centers on human-operated semi-automated container handling — more than 90 semi-automated stacking cranes at NIT and 50+ at VIG — combined with 29 ship-to-shore container cranes and a $450 million, 55-foot deep harbor that is the deepest commercial shipping channel on the U.S. East Coast, enabling simultaneous calls by ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs). On-dock rail infrastructure (7 miles of double-stack track via Norfolk Southern and CSX, 2 million TEU annual rail capacity), the digital PRO-Pass trucker reservation system, and the Operations Portal at operations.portofvirginia.com form the operational backbone. The company is ISO 14001-certified across all six marine terminals, operates on 100% clean electricity, and has committed to net-zero carbon by 2040 — the earliest commitment of any U.S. East Coast port.

VIT generates revenue through transaction-based terminal-operating fees — container stevedoring, cargo handling, wharfage, storage, and ancillary terminal services — at facilities it both owns (NIT, NNMT, PMT, VIP) and leases (VIG, RMT). A published Schedule of Rates governs pricing for cargo handling, wharfage, and storage. The go-to-market motion is enterprise sales, organized by 14+ industry verticals and supported by a port-centric logistics team. Customers span ocean carriers, retailers (Lowe's, four-time International Port of the Year awardee), agricultural exporters (ADM, Perdue), industrial real estate developers (Lovett Industrial, NorthPoint), offshore wind developers (Dominion Energy), and the U.S. military and government. The company does not have outside investors; it is wholly government-owned.

Name

Virginia International Terminals

Legal name

Virginia International Terminals, LLC

Website

https://portofvirginia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Virginia International Terminals, LLC operates The Port of Virginia as the private operating subsidiary of the Virginia Port Authority, running six marine and inland terminals handling containerized, breakbulk, roll-on/roll-off, barge, and offshore wind cargo for ocean carriers, retailers, agricultural exporters, and industrial developers on the U.S. East Coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Terminal Operations and Maritime Cargo Handling

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Gateway Container Terminals (Import/Export) (TLAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability & Environmental Compliance Digital Solutions (Emissions, MRV, Waste, Noise) (TLAHAOAN), Machinery & Industrial Equipment Terminals (TLAHADAF)

Keywords

• Container terminal operations
• Cargo handling services
• Marine stevedoring operations
• Intermodal rail logistics
• Breakbulk cargo handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Norfolk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Terminal Operations and Cargo Handling Services: Virginia International Terminals (VIT), the private operating subsidiary of the Virginia Port Authority, generates revenue through container stevedoring, cargo handling, terminal services, and wharfage fees at its operated terminals including Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal, and the Virginia Inland Port. The port also leases Virginia International Gateway and Richmond Marine Terminal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Virginia International Terminals (VIT) operates and manages the cargo handling and terminal facilities of The Port of Virginia under the Virginia Port Authority. VIT provides container stevedoring, wharfage, terminal services, and cargo handling at Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal, and the Virginia Inland Port, and leases Virginia International Gateway and Richmond Marine Terminal. The company also delivers on-dock rail, barge, and truck connectivity via Norfolk Southern, CSX, and dedicated reservation systems, supported by sustainability programs such as RailGreen and Go-Zero.

Product overview

Virginia International Terminals (VIT) operates The Port of Virginia, a system of six world-class terminals providing maritime cargo handling and logistics services. The core portfolio includes Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) and Virginia International Gateway (VIG) as semi-automated container terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) for breakbulk and RoRo cargo, Virginia Inland Port (VIP) as an inland intermodal facility, Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) for barge services, and Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) as an offshore wind hub. Supporting services include on-dock rail connections via Norfolk Southern and CSX, the PRO-Pass trucker reservation system, and environmental programs like Go-Zero. The $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program is modernizing and expanding infrastructure across all terminals, with total annual capacity expected to reach 5.8 million TEUs by 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) The port's largest terminal offering semi-automated container operations with more than 90 semi-automated stacking cranes, direct on-dock rail access with Norfolk Southern, and intermodal access with CSX. Designed for enterprise containerized cargo handling at scale.
• Virginia International Gateway (VIG) A semi-automated container terminal leased by VIT with more than 50 semi-automated stacking cranes, capability to support three ULCVs simultaneously, nearly 20,000 linear feet of rail track with on-dock connections to Norfolk Southern and CSX, and direct access to Interstate 164.
• Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) Main breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) facility offering 60 acres of outside storage and 968,000 SF of covered storage space, with direct on-dock rail service from CSX. Serves customers needing specialized non-containerized cargo handling.
• Virginia Inland Port (VIP) Intermodal container transport facility located in Front Royal, Northern Virginia, bringing cargo 200 miles inland via rail to serve DC, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia markets. Keeps more than 20,000 trucks off the road annually.
• Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) Barge service facility with three barges in rotation providing streamlined service between ocean and inland terminal connections. Keeps 30,000 trucks off the road and saves more than 3 million truck miles annually.
• Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) - Offshore Wind Energy Hub Heavy-lift facility and offshore wind hub transformed to stage wind turbine components and support heavy-lift vessel calls for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project and additional renewable energy logistics customers.
• Port of Virginia Rail Services On-dock rail service providing Class I connections with Norfolk Southern and CSX, 7 miles of on-dock track with double-stack service reaching Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Columbus, and other Midwest markets, and 2 million TEU annual rail capacity.
• PRO-Pass Trucker Reservation System Digital reservation program for motor carriers that powers industry-best turn times and service metrics at the port, reducing truck turn times to 36 minutes and supporting efficient over-the-road cargo movements.
• RailGreen Sustainable Rail Corridor Program Sustainable rail corridor in partnership with Norfolk Southern and 123Carbon that enables customers to offset rail supply chain emissions through carbon certificates supporting biofuel use in freight locomotives.
• Go-Zero Clean Equipment Program EPA-funded environmental program providing funding for at- and near-zero emission trucks, complementing the existing Green Operator program that has replaced more than 400 older diesel trucks. Supported by a $380M EPA Clean Ports Grant — the second-highest award from the program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55-foot deep harbor — deepest on the U.S. East Coast
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Norfolk SoutherncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2025Norfolk Southern is one of two Class I rail partners providing on-dock rail service at the Port of Virginia. The partnership includes the RailGreen Corridor — the nation's first emission reduction program for freight rail — connecting Norfolk Harbor to the Virginia Inland Port. Norfolk Southern uses biofuels to generate RailGreen certificates that customers can purchase to offset supply chain emissions. Double-stack rail service reaches Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Columbus, and more.
• 123CarbonsupportingTechnology or Integration · 6 May 2025123Carbon collaborates with the Port of Virginia and Norfolk Southern on the RailGreen program, providing the carbon certificate platform that enables customers to purchase certificates supporting biofuel use in freight locomotives to offset their supply chain emissions.
• Dominion Energy — Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dominion Energy is transforming Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) into an Offshore Wind Energy Hub to support the CVOW Project — America's largest offshore wind project. The $220M transformation is fully operational and supports heavy-lift vessel calls for wind turbine component staging and installation.
• Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2021VEDP is Virginia's statewide marketing organization for economic development. The Port of Virginia works with VEDP to attract businesses to the Commonwealth and promote Virginia's logistics and supply chain advantages. The partnership positions Virginia as a top state for business and drives port-centric industrial development.
• CSX TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSX is the second Class I rail partner at the Port of Virginia, providing intermodal rail access alongside Norfolk Southern. Both rail partners serve the port's on-dock rail yards including at Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia International Gateway, and Newport News Marine Terminal.
• Chesapeake Bay FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Port of Virginia partners with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on volunteer efforts including annual Clean the Bay Day, living shoreline projects, and oyster reef restorations to protect and preserve local waterways.
• Elizabeth River Project (ERP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerERP is a regional non-profit focused on protecting the Elizabeth River and its watershed. The port has received 23 consecutive River Star Business Awards from ERP recognizing pollution prevention, stormwater control, habitat restoration, and carbon emissions reduction efforts.
• Hampton Roads Sanitation DistrictsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hampton Roads Sanitation District awarded the port with three wastewater management compliance awards in 2025. PMT and VIG received Platinum awards for six consecutive years of perfect compliance; NIT received a Gold award.
• PunchOut2GosupportingTechnology or IntegrationPunchOut2Go, a Virginia-based platform-as-a-service company, is highlighted alongside Virginia International Terminals for its role in enabling B2B procurement automation in Virginia's logistics ecosystem.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Maryland Port Administration (Port of Baltimore): Operator of the Port of Baltimore, a Mid-Atlantic container and roll-on/roll-off gateway competing with The Port of Virginia for automotive, heavy equipment, breakbulk, and RoRo cargo, with overlapping reach into the DC/Baltimore hinterland.
• Georgia Ports Authority (Port of Savannah): Operator of the Port of Savannah, the largest single-terminal container facility on the U.S. East Coast. It competes head-to-head with The Port of Virginia for import containerized cargo, BCO volumes, and inland Midwest rail routings via Norfolk Southern and CSX.
• Port of Long Beach: Operator of the second-largest U.S. container port. It is a direct functional peer to The Port of Virginia in container stevedoring, terminal automation, on-dock rail, and emissions-reduction programs, and together with the Port of LA sets the operational bar.
• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: Operator of the largest container port complex on the U.S. East Coast. Competes directly with The Port of Virginia for East Coast containerized imports, ULCV calls, and on-dock intermodal capacity, and is undertaking its own channel and rail investments.
• Miami-Dade County (PortMiami): Operator of PortMiami, a Southeast container and cruise gateway competing with The Port of Virginia for Latin American trade and East Coast container volumes, with its own deepening and on-dock rail investments.
• Port Houston: Operator of the Port of Houston, the largest container port on the U.S. Gulf Coast. While geography differs, Port Houston is a comparable scale container terminal operator with deep channel, intermodal, and breakbulk capabilities competing for export and project cargo.
• South Carolina Ports Authority (Port of Charleston): Operator of the Port of Charleston, a key Southeast container gateway competing with The Port of Virginia for retail, automotive, and agricultural commodity cargo using overlapping Class I rail networks to the Midwest.
• Port of Los Angeles: Operator of the largest U.S. container port by volume. Although located on the West Coast, it is a structurally comparable semi-automated container terminal operator with on-dock rail and ULCV berthing, anchoring global best-practice operational benchmarks that VIT is benchmarked against.

Broad incumbents

• APM Terminals (Maersk): Global container terminal operating company owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk that operates multiple U.S. terminals and competes with VIT for third-party container volumes. While vertically integrated with an ocean carrier, it is a terminal-operating peer in the same U.S. East Coast container market.
• Ports America: Largest U.S. marine terminal operator, with terminals on the East and Gulf Coasts handling containers, breakbulk, and RoRo cargo. It is a relevant functional peer to VIT in operating terminals for mixed cargo types with similar stevedoring and rail-intermodal services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PortofVirginia
• Facebookfacebook.com/portofvirginia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virginia International Terminals