The Port of Virginia, for the first time in its history, handled more than 220,000 TEUs in a month and thus made October the busiest month in the port’s history.  “October was the fourth consecutive month of volume exceeding 200,000 units (TEUs), so the volume growth is strong,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “These volumes present a challenge to our delivery of efficient service to the motor carriers and we are fully engaged in port-wide efforts to improve throughput for trucks.”  The port will release its financial results for October at the Nov. 18 meeting of the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners, Reinhart said.  In October, the port handled 221,105 TEUs, an increase of 7 percent, or 14,508 TEUs, when compared with October 2013. In a year-to-date comparison (Jan. – Oct. 2014 vs. Jan. – Oct. 2013)  the port is tracking 7.1 percent ahead of the same period last year: 1,980,999 TEUs vs. 1,849,524 TEUs.  “We continue to push our capacity limits at VIG and NIT and it is clear that this is having a negative effect on our gates,” Reinhart said. “We have Portsmouth Marine Terminal on-line and productive, and we co-hosted the Port Productivity Summit with the Virginia Maritime Association, which yielded some valuable insight from industry partners.  “The wait-times for drivers are simply too long and we are working to address that. The congestion is not a problem unique to The Port of Virginia and we are working with stakeholders to deliver improved service.”  In October, truck volume increased by 8.7 percent. The port moved 81,375 containers by truck in October, which is 6,518 more than what was handled last October.  In a year-to-date comparison, rail volume is up 3.9 percent; Virginia Inland Port up 16 percent; barge containers up 12.3 percent; truck containers up 8.6 percent; ship calls up 4.1 percent; and vehicle units up 5 percent.  The port has exceeded the 200,000-TEU mark in April, May, July, August, September and October.  In October, the port worked 175 vessels (container, breakbulk and Ro-Ro).