Virginia, Ningbo Ports Ink Cooperation Agreement

The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) and the Ningbo Municipal Port Administration recently signed a memorandum of understanding establishing the groundwork for information sharing aimed at generating new business by promoting the all-water route between the Chinese seaport and Virginia. 

The agreement will see both organizations cooperate, where possible, on marketing activities, market research, the exchange of information, technology, modernization details and training. 

"These kinds of agreements signify the beginnings of a working relationship and hopefully a long-term relationship where both parties benefit,"said Rodney W. Oliver, PPM®, the VPA's interim executive director."China has been Virginia's No. 1 trading partner for many years, and having these kinds of agreements in place will help strengthen our relationship with that country." 

Ningbo, one of the most important and busiest ports in mainland China, is located on the coastal province of Zhejiang at the intersection of the north-south shipping route and the Yangtze River. It is comprised of several ports and recently merged with the neighboring Port of Zhoushan to form a combined cargo-handling center. The Ningbo/Zhoushan Port jointly handled 627 million tons of cargo in 2010.
 

The agreement was signed April 18 in Ningbo by Russell J. Held, a VPA deputy executive director, and Chang Boaping, deputy director general, Ningbo Municipal Port Administration Bureau.
 

"Today we enjoy six weekly services between Ningbo and the Port of Virginia via both the Panama and Suez Canals," Mr. Held said. "One of the weekly services includes the biggest container vessels that come to the East Coast. They can load full with heavy Virginia export agriculture and forest products because of the deep water at both ports. Our goal with this MOU is to share operational best practices, jointly market our good service connectivity and drive investment and business growth on both ends of the supply chain."

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