HONORING JOHN REINHART FOR HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE PORT OF VIRGINIA; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 165
(Extensions of Remarks - September 23, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E875-E876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING JOHN REINHART FOR HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE PORT OF VIRGINIA
______
HON. ELAINE G. LURIA
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize John
Reinhart upon his retirement from the Port of Virginia.
[[Page E876]]
For nearly seven years, John has led the Port of Virginia as the
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. John assembled and
cultivated a skilled and highly knowledgeable team, then provided
impressive leadership and vision, to transform the Port of Virginia
into a twenty-first century facility.
With a mantra of ``Wider, Deeper & Safer,'' John steered the
approval, funding and commencement of dredging the Norfolk Harbor and
Channels to fifty-five feet depth. This will allow Hampton Roads to
accommodate fully loaded Ultra-Large Container Vessels now and in the
future. As Hampton Roads is also home to the world's largest naval base
with six aircraft carriers, this widening will also enable safe, two-
way traffic to prevent delays to commercial and military vessels.
Under John's supervision, the Port of Virginia constructed the new
Virginia International Gateway. Hosting the largest ship-to-shore
cranes in the Western Hemisphere, this state-of-the-art facility has
some of the best cargo flow rates and vehicle turn-times in the nation.
While expanding the Port's capacity, John also successfully reduced
emissions by transitioning away from diesel-driven container movement
to an electric, safer and more space-conscious method of container
handling and stacking. These electric gantry cranes dramatically reduce
emissions, fuel consumption and noise.
With a vision for the future, John has planned and begun building the
first infrastructure dedicated to our region's nascent offshore wind
industry. Recognizing the Port of Virginia's natural benefits with a
deep channel and no overhead obstructions, he has helped posture
Hampton Roads to become a nucleus for our nation's growing carbon-free
power generation industry.
The improvements John has made at the Port have benefited not only
all Virginians but most Americans. The Port of Virginia's reach covers
all commerce east of the Mississippi River and even extends to Kansas
City, MO. Through the partnerships John helped build, the Port of
Virginia achieved record-setting cargo volume for six consecutive
years. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven American businesses and workers
need efficient and reliable supply chains, and the Port has proven
vital to this endeavor.
John's dedication to strengthening and improving Virginia's
infrastructure and economy is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and
recognize his leadership and the role he plays in making our community
a better place. Hampton Roads has significantly benefited from his
efforts.
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