NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – The federal government has given the final greenlight for widening and deepening the commercial shipping lanes that serve the Port of Virginia. The port said Monday in a statement that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave its final authorization for the project. It will allow the world’s increasingly massive cargo ships to carry more cargo and move more quickly. A channel that will allow two-way traffic also will better accommodate ships from the world’s largest Navy base in Norfolk. The port’s cargo levels have been surging. One reason is that Virginia exports the highest volume of American coal. Virginia’s port is also receiving more giant ships that pass through the recently expanded Panama Canal. Dredging for the project is tentatively expected to finish in 2024.
