The Port of Virginia reopened operations at 7AM EDT Saturday, according to a report on S&P Global Platts. A spokesperson for the port suggested that their operations experienced very little damage and the impact of the storm will be minimal.
This is good news for supply-chains that depend on the Norfolk based port for inbound and outbound shipping flows. The Port has a large intermodal operation, but is more important for US coal exports, linking the coal mines of West Virginia with the global markets.
Coal is the number one commodity transported across North America, measured by ton-mile, according to the BTS. FreightWaves recently brokedown the various commodities by how many ton miles they represent.
At noon today, the Coast Guard opened the Port of Charleston. The Port of Charleston is one of the largest ports in the United States, ranking number 7 in U.S. ports and has played an increasing role in the North American freight market as imports have shifted from the West to the East.