Fairwinds secures grant for Norfolk facility rail improvements
The Commonwealth Transportation Board has awarded Fairwinds Terminal Services LLC a $750,000 grant to rehabilitate 12,000 feet of track at its Fairwinds Landing facility in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) administered the funding through the Rail Industrial Access program, which helps businesses connect to the state and national rail network, DRPT officials said in a newsletter. The track rehabilitation is part of Fairwinds' larger, $200 million effort to revitalize its 131-acre waterfront facility to serve as a multi-function, multi-tenant maritime logistics center. DRPT anticipates the track improvements will increase annual carload capacity by about 310 carloads, helping reduce truck traffic. Fairwinds is a veteran-owned, Virginia-based company that specializes in moving components between rail and water transportation methods. The company primarily works in defense, energy and niche non-containerized dry cargo markets, DRPT officials said. Fairwinds Landing is served by Norfolk Southern Railway.