A couple of weeks ago, the CMA CGM Brazil was brought alongside the berth at VIG during the course of her 24-hour stay in Virginia.
At more than 1,200 feet long and nearly 170 feet wide, the containership is massive. Moreover, it is bigger than any containership to call The Port of Virginia or come to the U.S. East Coast.
“We invested $800 million over the last two-and-a-half years to expand and modernize our terminals in order to handle ships of this size,” said John. F. Reinhart , CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority.
“We are talking to several ocean carriers about even bigger vessels, so this will be a good test for us. The ocean carriers have taken note of the work we are doing here and they know of our reputation for efficiency. Things are really coming into focus for The Port of Virginia.”
The visit of the CMA CGM Brazil highlights the importance of the deepening and widening of the Norfolk Harbor and its commercial channels.
The port is dredging the harbor to 55 feet deep and widening the channels.
Finally, when the work is complete in 2024, Virginia will hold the title of deepest port on the U.S. East Coast.