The Virginia Maritime Association, which is widely recognized as “the voice of port industries,” serves to promote, protect, and encourage international and domestic commerce through Virginia’s ports. With a membership of over 450 companies, the VMA advocates for the interests of the maritime industry and develops solutions and opportunities for Virginia’s ports.
In order to carry out its mission, the VMA partners with other organizations and is a strong advocate for researching and creating solutions to sea level rise. The VMA held the Virginia Maritime Association Conference, which addressed issues in the ocean carrier industry, and sits on the advisory committee for Old Dominion University’s Center for Sea Level Rise.
VMA actively contributed to Hampton Roads 2016 Sea Level Rise Preparedness and Resilience Intergovernmental Pilot Project by providing background on Virginia’s ports, including their importance and status nationally as the largest on the East Coast in tonnage and third in containers, and their impact on the Hampton Roads region, with over $60 billion in annual spending and contributing 6.9% of the gross state product.
