New rail service expands Virginia’s southeast reach

Owned and operated by Norfolk Southern, the service will serve Greensboro considered a load centre for imports and exports of textile, furniture, retail, chemical and agriculture industries. It is already supported by two ocean carriers that have committed to its use and is generating interest from other carriers.

“Many North Carolina-based cargo owners have expressed a genuine interest in this service because of the economics of bringing their cargo through our port and into this market by rail. This service diversifies and enhances our reach into what we see as an area with a lot of potential,” said Jerry Bridges, the Virginia Port Authority executive director.

Bridges says he sees an opportunity for Virginia to test the “big-ship, big-reach theory.” He believes that as the frequency of large vessels calling at Virginia increases, the amount of cargo moving across the port will grow with much of it heading to new markets.