U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Freight Economy
Date: July 26, 2016
Our Host: Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization
| HIGHWAYS |  | I-64, I-264, I-464, I-564, I-664, US 13, US 17, US 58, US 60, US 258, US 460, VA 164 |
| RAILROADS |  | CSX, Norfolk Southern, Commonwealth Railway, Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line |
| AIRPORTS |  | Norfolk International Airport, Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport |
| WATERBORNE |  | Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia International Gateway, Newport News Marine Terminal, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Lambert's Point Docks, Kinder Morgan, Dominion Terminal Associates |
| FREIGHT CLUSTER |  | CenterPoint, Green Mount, Greenbrier, International Paper, Lynnhaven, Newport News Shipbuilding, Oyster Point, Shirley T. Holland, Military Bases |
Source: Hampton Roads TPO
Data represents freight activity for Greater Houston Region (CSA)
| Commodity | Value (millions $) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 27,585 | 15% |
| Machinery | 19,662 | 10% |
| Mixed freight | 17,078 | 9% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 12,637 | 7% |
| Plastics/rubber | 10,437 | 5% |
| All commodities | 189,782 | 100% |
| Commodity | Tons (thousands) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Nonmetal min. prods. | 11,659 | 11% |
| Coal | 11,061 | 10% |
| Waste/scrap | 9,746 | 9% |
| Other ag prods. | 9,209 | 8% |
| Natural gas (Coal-n.e.c.) | 5,839 | 5% |
| All commodities | 110,097 | 100% |
| Trade partner | Tonnage | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 8,112 | 22% |
| Eastern Asia | 7,106 | 19% |
| Rest of Americas | 4,208 | 11% |
| SW & Central Asia | 3,102 | 8% |
| SE Asia & Oceania | 2,430 | 7% |
| Total outbound* | 37,262 | 100% |
| Trade partner | Tonnage | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 9,071 | 19% |
| West Virginia | 7,673 | 16% |
| North Carolina | 6,484 | 13% |
| Eastern Asia | 2,792 | 6% |
| Europe | 2,554 | 5% |
| Total inbound** | 48,073 | 100% |
Based on FAF4.2 data with base year 2012 and forecasts upto 2045
Includes all modes but excludes intraregional flows. *Other outbound = 12,305/33% **Other inbound =19,498/41%
In 2014, Virginia's GDP was $462.2 billion and ranked 11th among U.S. states. VA Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA's GDP was $90.8 billion and ranked 39th among U.S. metropolitan areas.
Half of the Hampton Roads region’s employment is generated by freight-intensive industries.
Between 2012 and 2045, the Hampton Roads region will see freight activity grow by about 120% in value and 60% in tonnage.
In 2012, the Hampton Roads region's domestic freight share was about 81% in value while the international share is expected to increase to 38% in 2045 from 19% in 2012.
The Hampton Roads region's largest outbound freight trading partner by value is Europe, which represented about 12% of all outbound freight by value in 2012.
More than 110,000 active duty military personnel are assigned to the Norfolk Naval Base and other military installations in the Hampton Roads region.
In 2015, nearly 18,000 trucks traversed the Hampton Roads region through major gateways each weekday. The Port of Virginia ranked third highest among East Coast ports in terms of volume of containerized cargo handled in 2015, and sixth highest among all U.S. ports. In 2015, 64% of all port freight was transported by truck, 33% by rail, and 3% by barge.
The Hampton Roads region is the largest U.S. shipper of coal and will see a reduced coal tonnage share from 22% in 2012 to 10% in 2045.
The Richmond and Norfolk International Airports are the second and third largest cargo airports in Virginia. In 2012, both airports transported a total of 295,000 tons of freight.
Sources for Freight Facts: FAF4 Data, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Hampton Road TPO Long Range Transportation Plan 2034, Virginia Multimodal Freight Plan Final report 2014,AAPA,EIA, VA Maritime Association,Virginia Port Authority,VDOT
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