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Backups at Virginia ports have started to impact some rail operations, and in late February the Virginia Port Authority decided to temporarily ban export rail containers headed for Norfolk International Terminals.
"We apologize for this short-term disruption as the result of weather and volume demands and appreciate your attention on this issue," the authority said in a statement.
The decision, enacted Feb. 26, remains in effect while the port's "rail operations team continues to address significant rail volume" at NIT, one of its two main container facilities.
Port officials made the decision before last week's two-day shutdown due to snow. At that point, the port's rail-operations team was already dealing with the backlog of cargo left from a day-and-a-half
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shutdown because of the Feb. 16 snowstorm.
Joe Harris, a Port Authority spokesman, said that the port handled a huge amount of cargo last week.
Norfolk Southern, which controls all rail business at NIT, "is working closely with the port on a daily basis to reduce the backlog and minimize disruptions to our customers," said Ed Elkins, group vice president of international intermodal marketing and sales, in an email.
"Over the past few days, productivity at NIT has rebounded and continues to improve. We anticipate that the gates at our origin terminals will reopen as soon as possible."
For more of the Hampton Roads story: hamptonroads.com
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