Mayor Dwight Jones, Secretary Layne and John Reinhart Celebrate the Richmond Marine Terminal

Early on Monday, Feb. 1, Mayor Jones, Aubrey Layne, Secretary of Transportation, John Reinhart, CEO and Director of the Virginia Port Authority, City Council members and other officials gathered to mark the signing of a 40-year lease of the Richmond Marine Terminal. Along with a ribbon cutting to celebrate the occasion, attendees marveled at a new 124-ton capacity crane that is part of the $17 million in upgrades planned for the facility.

“This place is all about connections,” said Mayor Jones. “This place is about connecting Richmond, and the entire Commonwealth, to global trade. This place is also about connecting a part of the City with high unemployment to the kind of jobs that are a hand up for residents who live in the neighborhoods around us.”

The 350-ton crane is one of the first steps in the port’s effort to reinvest and modernize the Richmond Marine Terminal. The crane will speed the loading and unloading of the container barge that calls RMT three times a week.

“What truly cleared the way for the purchase of this crane was the work of the TPO and the City of Richmond’s ability to take a long-term view, so that we can redevelop the facility, create efficiency in the cargo operation and continue to market this facility to the world’s ocean carriers, beneficial cargo owners,” said John F. Reinhart.