Virginia offers five-year lease to Richmond port

The Virginia Port Authority has sent a "letter of intent" to the Port of Richmond, proposing a five-year lease of the facility, said Joe Harris, an authority spokesman, according to The Virginian-Pilot (MCT).

The authority's letter to the Richmond port comes about three months after Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton said the state was interested in the Port Authority possibly taking over the facility.

The Port of Richmond, on the James River south of downtown off Interstate 95, is owned by the city of Richmond, managed by the Port of Richmond Commission and operated by PCI of Virginia, a private company, according to the port's website.

PCI's contract expires on November 30, said John Smith, operations manager of the Port of Richmond.

A request for bids from potential operators of the port was posted on the city of Richmond's website on July 2, with a deadline of August 4.

Harris said the authority has not determined who would operate the Richmond port if the authority's proposal was accepted, but that "we would figure that out".

The authority's proposal to the Richmond port includes a nominal payment, but Harris declined to disclose the amount.

The Richmond port was hit hard last year when International Container Lines, its biggest customer over the past 24 years, left for Wilmington, North Carolina.
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)