June 3 - The Virginia Port Authority is making a concerted effort to attract more heavy lift project cargoes, breakbulk and ro-ro cargoes.

Following a USD 800 million deal to take over the operation of APM Terminals' container terminal in Portsmouth this summer, the Virginia Port Authority is to move current calls by some of the world's leading box lines to the APM terminal from its Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT).

According to the port authority, this will free up space at the PMT to handle more breakbulk and ro-ro cargoes, and heavy lift project cargoes.

The plan to migrate container traffic to the APM property, which is a newer and more efficient terminal, should ultimately allow a four million teu throughput at the port, more than double 2009's volume.