Huge Port Deal in Virginia

A.P. Moller-Maersk announced it will build a $450 million container terminal in Portsmouth, Va., a city located in the burgeoning Hampton Roads region, which includes the cities of Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach. The terminal, which will encompass 300 acres, will propel the ports in the Hampton Roads region to the No. 2 position on the Eastern Seaboard, behind only the ports that make up the New York and New Jersey region. The new port will serve A.P. Moller-Maersk subsidiary Maersk Sealand, the world's largest shipping line. A.P. Moller-Maersk is based in Denmark.

Charlotte's Light-Rail Systems Gets $1OM Grant

The U.S. Department of Transportation is giving a $10.3 million grant to Charlotte's proposed light-rail system. The grant will fund final design work for the rail line's southern corridor. The 10-mile rail line will connect uptown with I-485 near Pineville in 2006. An estimated 16,000 passengers will use the service daily.

Records Set at Orlando International Airport

Indicating a stronger economy, the Orlando International Airport set a passenger traffic record in March with 2.93 million passengers served. The all-time high at OIA also indicates that the tourism industry is also rebounding in the Sunshine State.

Volume Way Up at Alabama Port

The Alabama Port at Mobile has seen container volume increase 60 percent over the same period last year. The Alabama State Port Authority reported significant increases in bulk operations including a 24 percent increase in coal shipments due to a surge in natural gas prices.