Contact:
Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

VPA Board Brought to Full Membership
With Three Appointments 

NORFOLK, VA – The Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners added three new members, bringing the board up to full membership. The appointments were made by Gov. Tim Kaine and affirmed unanimously by the existing board members at today’s regularly-scheduled meeting.

The new members are:

-- Marvin S. Friedberg, of Virginia Beach: He currently is the managing partner with both Gates Management, a company focused on real estate investments and venture capital through affiliate partners and Alpha Group, an international trading company. Friedberg most recently served as vice president of the Virginia International Terminals Board of Directors. Friedberg earned a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University. He succeeds Ranjit K. Sen.

-- Barbara J. Fried, of Crozet: Fried is chairwoman emeritus of Fried Cos., Inc., a real estate development and management firm. Additionally she serves as chairwoman of the board for Innisfree Village in Albemarle County, a voluntary community for adults with mental disabilities. She served as chairwoman of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities until her terms expired this year. Fried has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, a juris doctorate from University of Chicago Law School and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She succeeds Martin Barrington.

-- J. Granger MacFarlane II, of Roanoke: MacFarlane is president of Eastern Motor Inn, Inc., and managing director of Virginia Eastern Co., LLC, which is hotel/motel operations company that leases and manages several properties in Virginia. From 1984 to 1991 he served as a member of the Virginia Senate and was on the Local Government, Transportation, General Laws, Commerce and Labor and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke University. He succeeds Robert Barclay

Each new member will serve a five-year term.

Additionally, Chairman John Milliken and Commissioner Thomas Wolf were both reappointed to serve an additional five-year term.

Contact:
Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

Virginia Port Authority
Expands Online Offerings with Blog
and Interactive Site Selection Tool 

NORFOLK, VA – In an ongoing effort to build the flow of information to the citizens, customers and stakeholders at The Port of Virginia, the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) on Tuesday launched two additions to its online presence: a real-time blog and a searchable, interactive site-selection database.

“We recognize that many of our customers and allies want to receive information in real-time and they want to be able to process that information in new and creative ways,” said J.J. Keever, the VPA’s senior deputy executive director for External Affairs. “The VPA blog will give the community at large regular insight into the maritime industry and its daily work.”

The blog will feature news releases, local industry-related news and tidbits, statistics, photographs and other useful information. In addition, Keever said the blog “will create a new forum for public interaction and discourse by encouraging the submission of relevant and appropriate comments and questions from interested parties.”

The blog, created by the VPA’s External Affairs division, can be found at: http://blog.portofvirginia.com

Complimenting the blog is a new, interactive site selection tool developed by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) in collaboration with the VPA's Development division. This new tool will allow visitors to to view detailed information on available properties – industrial, warehouses, distribution centers and land -- throughout the Commonwealth. This tool can be found on the VPA’s Web site under the Development tab and is listed within the tools for VEDP.

The site selection tool allows the user to enter criteria including the property type, preferred location, size requirements and other features such as distance from a port facility, Foreign Trade Zone status, or LEED certification. The result will be detailed results, maps, property fliers and pictures of the site. A network of economic development professionals throughout the state contribute to maintaining the database for VEDP.

“We hope this tool will provide additional resources for site selection consultants and economic development prospects as they qualify areas for the location of their next manufacturing or distribution center location,” said Russell Young, director of Economic Development. “Partnering with VEDP is what gives us the capability to have comprehensive, up-to-date content.”

The information in the site selection database is managed and compiled by VEDP, which is also the host for the database.

Purkey Commission - Port PPTA.ppt

Purkey Commission - Port PPTA.pdf

Contact:
Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

VPA's Voluntary Retrofit Program
For Older Big Rigs Gains
In Recognition and Participation 

NORFOLK, VA – A voluntary program started by the Virginia Port Authority designed to reduce emissions in older diesel trucks and make them more fuel efficient continues to gain strength in both national recognition and participation.

In May, the VPA’s Green Operator, or GO, program was the first voluntary diesel retrofit program at a U.S. port to receive federal stimulus money – almost $1 million -- specifically earmarked for use in creating a cleaner, more fuel-efficient fleet of local trucks.

To date, 11 trucks that move cargo in and out of The Port of Virginia and are independently owned by a company or individual have been equipped with the retrofit kits, which are designed to make older diesel engines more efficient. Moreover, the VPA has commitments to retrofit 132 trucks by September 2010, the majority of which are from four trucking firms with local operations have committed to 121 retrofits. The VPA’s goal is to have between 175 and 200 trucks in the program by next September.

In January, the VPA teamed with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to re-launch its diesel retrofit program that encourages local trucking companies to voluntarily retrofit and reduce emissions from trucks servicing this port.

GO facts:

Funding:
$258,000 - FY2009 Diesel Emission Reduction Act
$942,000 - American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
$1.2M

Green Operator Partners
VPA
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
U.S. EPA, Region 3
Hampton Roads Clean Cities
Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA)

Green Operator Trucking Companies
Andy's Trucking - Robert Doyan, President: Andy’s Trucking was the first company to participate in the GO program, joining at its inception in 2007. Andy’s Trucking is an independent business located in Keysville.

Evans Delivery Co., Inc., and Century Express:: Bert Evans, president of Evans Delivery and Ed O’Callaghan, president of Century Express, have taken a leadership role with their commitment to retrofit 35 independent owner-operator trucks under the GO program. Under their direction, the first 10 trucks in the Hampton Roads area have been retrofitted. Evans and Century Express have been instrumental in promoting the program to other interested trucking companies in the area as well as other ports throughout the country.

C&K Trucking: The Port’s largest trucking company has committed to retrofit 21 trucks prior to September 2010.

GTL Transport, Inc: committed to retrofitting 55 trucks prior to September 2010.

Gilco Trucking has committed to retrofitting 20 trucks prior to September 2010.

NORFOLK, VA – Virginia Port Authority police officer Sgt. Joseph Green has been named the recipient of the 2009 W. Wright Harrison Award.

The service award is presented annually by the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners to an outstanding employee of the agency. The award is named after the late W. Wright Harrison, who was a vice chairman of the VPA board; nominees are chosen by their peers.

Green is an active member of the port community and has served with the VPA Police Department since July 2004; he is now the sergeant of Special Operations. He began his career as a patrol officer and was promoted to his current rank in July 2007. Since December 2008, Green has been the sole active member of the department’s Special Operations Division and successfully serves as the acting commander in the absence of both a lieutenant and captain.

Prior to joining the force, Sgt. Green was a captain with the Portsmouth Fire Department.

“Sgt. Green is a premier example of a dedicated and conscientious steward of the Port of Hampton Roads and has provided outstanding service to both the organization and the community,” said John G. Milliken, chairman of the VPA board, during the presentation ceremony at the board meeting.

Contact:
Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

Deadline for Unsolicited Bids from Potential
Terminal Operators Expires;
Two New Proposals Submitted

NORFOLK, VA – The deadline for bidders to submit proposals outlining their plans to operate the three marine terminals, the Virginia Inland Port and a proposed new facility, Craney Island Marine Terminal, all of which are owned by the Virginia Port Authority, expired Monday, July 27 at 10 a.m.

In accordance with the rules governing the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA), two new bid proposals were received at the Virginia Port Authority offices; The bidders are the Carlyle Group, based in Washington, D.C., and the partnership of Carrix Inc., and Goldman Sachs. Carrix is the parent company of SSA Marine of Seattle. The next step is for a quality control review of the two new proposals to be conducted.

These unsolicited proposals come in addition to the one submitted by CenterPoint Properties Trust of Illinois on March 12, 2009.

Presently, the marine terminals are operated by Virginia International Terminals Inc., which is the VPA’s private, non-stock operating company.

In keeping with the PPTA, the proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners. The entire PPTA can be found here: www.virginiadot.org/business/ppta-Guidelines.asp

Oncethe proposals have been reviewed by the State Secretary of Transportation and have been found to have the necessary requirements for further consideration, the proposals will be made available to the public on www.portofvirginia.com.  

Contact: Joe Harris, Media Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

NORFOLK – The Port of Virginia will be the first US East Coast port call on a reconfigured vessel service that connects the Caribbean with the East Coast, the Virginia Port Authority announced on Friday, June 13.

The service begins Tuesday, June 16, with the arrival of the Eclips (correct spelling), a vessel operated by CMA CGM, a French steamship line with a long-running relationship with the VPA. CMA CGM has its North American headquarters in Norfolk.

Vessels in this service will call at Portsmouth Marine Terminal, one of three deep-water marine terminals owned and operated by the VPA. Russell Held, the VPA’s deputy director of development, said the cargo will include a lot of commodities and textiles.

“The textile cargo, we believe, will open up some business opportunities in North Carolina, which is home to many of the big mills and manufacturers,” he said. “And, since Virginia is the first-in on this service, we’re also seeing opportunities for our customers to capitalize on our expanding north-bound rail service to the Midwest. This trade lane holds a lot of promise for growth on a couple of levels.”

There will be three vessels in this weekly service, with an average size of about 1,100 TEUs. The rotation is as follows: Virginia, Savannah, Miami, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Antilles, Martinique, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Venezuela and Aruba.

“By strengthening the CAGEMA service, the CMA CGM Group can now offer its customers an optimum quality of service and unique port coverage between North America and the Caribbean region. Thanks to a strategic call at Rio Haina, it also guaranties new opportunities eastbound and westbound between America’s East Coast and the expanding market in the Dominican Republic,” said Laurent Falguière, vice-president Caribbean and Latin America Lines for CMA CGM.

The Port of Virginia now has three first-in calls: NYK from the east coast of South America, the CKYH Alliance from North Asia and CMA CGM from the Caribbean.

“Building these first-in calls provides a real service to our customers because it allows them to get their cargo on the shelves or manufacturing floor quicker – the down-time for transit is greatly reduced,” Held said.

Contact:
Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

Virginia Port Authority
Issues One-Year 
Bond Anticipation Notes 

NORFOLK, VA – The Virginia Port Authority on Tuesday, May, 19, successfully issued a one-year bond anticipation note [BAN] to refinance a note coming due on July 1; the VPA will save several hundred thousand dollars in interest through this action.

Rodney Oliver, the VPA’s chief financial officer, said the note is a low-interest, interim financing measure used in anticipation of the long-term $65 million bond sale scheduled for 2010. The proceeds from the bonds are being used to finance ongoing capital construction projects at the three state-owned marine cargo terminals.

The note was priced at a very low interest rate -- less than .5 percent.

“The market interest in the BAN was strong given their very low risk as indicated by the low interest rate,” Oliver said. “This is the most appropriate and cost-effective method to get us to the long-term bond sale in we plan to have next year; the savings will be close to $900,000.”

Morgan Stanley was the lead underwriter for the note, which carried the highest possible short-term credit ratings from rating agencies Moody’s [MIG-1] and Standard & Poor’s [SP-1+].

As the bond rating agencies were evaluating the health of the VPA’s short-term bonds, they were also asked to assess the VPA’s long-term bonds. “While there were some changes to our ratings that come as a direct result of the unstable economy, the VPA still holds the highest bond rating of any major port on the East Coast,” Oliver said.

The ratings are as follows:

-- S&P affirmed an A+ rating with a stable outlook.

-- Fitch downgraded the Authority’s rating from A+ to A with a stable outlook.

-- Moody’s affirmed a Aa3 rating but changed its outlook from stable to negative.

Contact: Joe Harris, Media/Public Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com  

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

Copy of CenterPoint Proposal
Available at VPA Web Site:
www.portofvirginia.com

NORFOLK, VA – The Virginia Port Authority [VPA] on Friday, March 27, posted on its Web site a copy of the unsolicited proposal from CenterPoint Properties Trust. The information can be found at www.portofvirginia.com in the blue menu bar across the top of the page under the PPTA heading. 

CenterPoint submitted its proposal to obtain the operating rights of the three deep-water general marine cargo terminals, the Virginia Inland Port and the proposed Craney Island Marine Terminal in accordance with Virginia’s Public Private Transportation Act of 1995 (“the Act”) as amended. All of those facilities are now owned or proposed to be owned by the VPA. 

In accordance with the Act, the VPA will accept for simultaneous consideration any competing and compliant proposals it receives in its Norfolk office before 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, July 27, 2009. 

Given the size of the proposal, the PDF document has been broken up into six parts all of which are active links or it can be downloaded as a single file. The parts are:
-- Executive summary
-- CenterPoint’s qualifications and experience
-- Description of the proposed project
-- CenterPoint’s Business Plan
-- Description of project benefits
-- Attachments 

Questions as they relate to the receipt of this proposal should be directed to John G. Milliken, chairman of the VPA Board of Commissioners. He can be reached at (703) 760-1637 or jgmilliken@venable.com.

Contact: Joe Harris, Media Relations Manager
Tel: (757) 683-2137 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0006
Fax: (757) 683-2897
jharris@portofvirginia.com

Greg Edwards, Director of External Affairs
Tel: (757) 683-2110 / (800) 446-8098
Cell: (757) 617-0852
gedwards@portofvirginia.com

VPA Board of Commissioners Will
Meet May 26, 2009 at 11 a.m.

NORFOLK – The Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners will meet in its regular session on Tuesday, May 26 at 11 a.m. in the Main Board Room of the Virginia Port Authority offices which are located at 600 World Trade Center in Norfolk.

The agenda and meeting materials for the meeting can be viewed at the following web address:  www.portofvirginia.com/corporate/board-room.aspx