Plan a project

Reported deployment

Reported private 5G network at The Port of Virginia's Virginia International Gateway terminal

A Verizon case study; outcomes are vendor-reported and not independent measurements.

Reviewed Sep 30, 20267 sourced facts
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Details

Organization
The Port of Virginia (Virginia Port Authority)
Industry
container port and marine terminal operations
Region
Virginia International Gateway, The Port of Virginia, Virginia
Current operating status
In use (undated Verizon customer story citing the port's 2025 financial year)
Project date
network implemented in 2024

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Overview

Verizon Business and Virginia International Terminals (VIT), the terminal operating company owned by the Virginia Port Authority, announced on July 21, 2022 an agreement to build a private 5G network at the Virginia International Gateway, a 275-acre container terminal at The Port of Virginia.[1] VIT said it would use the network to explore autonomous over-the-road trucks entering the terminal, and that the network would let it replace Wi-Fi across the facility.[1] The network pairs 5G Ultra Wideband small cells with an LTE packet core on dedicated licensed spectrum rather than CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service), which Verizon says could have faced channel competition near U.S. Navy and Coast Guard facilities.[2] Verizon's later customer story says the network was implemented in 2024 and connects workers, truck drivers, and IoT equipment;[2] in November 2023 Verizon also announced a separate private 5G network at the port's Norfolk International Terminal.[3]

At a glance

Organization
Virginia International Terminals (VIT), owned by the Virginia Port Authority, which operates The Port of Virginia's terminals.[1][2]
Location
Virginia International Gateway, a 275-acre marine terminal at The Port of Virginia.[1][2]
Date reported
Agreement announced July 21, 2022;[1] Verizon says the network was implemented in 2024.[2]
Spectrum
Licensed spectrum dedicated to the network, not CBRS, according to Verizon.[2] RCR Wireless reported it operates in high-band millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum.[4]
Technology
Non-standalone 5G, sold at launch as Verizon On Site 5G: 5G Ultra Wideband small cells with an LTE packet core and supporting radios, compatible with LTE and 5G devices.[1][2]
Scale as reported
Coverage across the 275-acre Virginia International Gateway facility was the stated aim in 2022.[1] The number of radios and connected devices is not publicly stated.
Vendors and roles
Verizon Business: network provider.[2] Ericsson: radio and core network infrastructure, according to RCR Wireless.[4]
Integrator
Not publicly stated beyond Verizon.
Second terminal
Verizon and Norfolk International Terminal (NIT) announced on November 16, 2023 a separate Verizon Private 5G network covering 270 acres of NIT, with Ericsson as sole product vendor and Verizon Push to Talk Plus for voice.[3] We found no later public update on whether the NIT network is live.
Status
In use, according to Verizon's undated customer story, which says the network was implemented in 2024 and cites the port's 2025 financial-year cargo volumes.[2]

How the network is used

  • Connectivity for workers, truck drivers, and IoT-powered cargo equipment at the terminal (ports and terminals).[2]
  • Letting truck drivers move from public 5G on the road to the private network when they enter the terminal.[2]
  • Testing autonomous over-the-road trucks for container drop-off and pick-up, tied to a U.S. Department of Transportation proof-of-concept grant (yard and vehicle automation).[1] RCR Wireless reported in November 2023 that the port expected autonomous trucks to run on the network from early 2024.[4]
  • Planned: replacing the terminal's Wi-Fi and adding push-to-talk voice, goals the port's technology chief described.[2]

Reported results

As reported by the sources below; not independently verified.

  • Verizon says that since the 2024 implementation the port has strengthened its ability to move cargo safely and efficiently; it publishes no network performance measurements.[2]
  • Rich Ceci, VIT's senior vice president of technology and projects, was quoted in an Ericsson blog post as saying the effort had moved past an experiment and that 5G might replace all of the port's Wi-Fi as one network, according to RCR Wireless.[4]

Timeline

  1. The network is implemented, according to Verizon.[2]

  2. Verizon Business and Norfolk International Terminal announce a second private 5G network at the port.[3]

  3. RCR Wireless reports the mmWave network uses Ericsson radio and core equipment and that autonomous trucks are expected on it from early 2024.[4]

  4. Verizon Business and VIT announce the private 5G agreement for Virginia International Gateway.[1]

How to interpret this record

This record keeps the source's anonymous customer label and reported status. A case study does not establish current operation, reproducible performance, or independent verification.

Sources

Researched Oct 1, 2026. Manufacturer and vendor statements are their claims, not independent tests.

  1. Verizon Business, VIT reach agreement for private 5G network — Verizon via GlobeNewswire (Yahoo Finance), Jul 21, 2022. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  2. Virginia International Gateway builds the port of the future with Verizon 5G Private Wireless Network — Verizon. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  3. Verizon Business expands private 5G at Port of Virginia with new network at NIT — Verizon, Nov 16, 2023. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  4. Port of Virginia preps private 5G for autonomous trucks — RCR Wireless News, Nov 15, 2023. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.

Every detail in the table at the top comes from these sources. Open the source details for each fact’s publisher, evidence type, date, and where it appears.

Source details (7)
SOURCEOrganization

The Port of Virginia (Virginia Port Authority)

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: IntroductionChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEIndustry

container port and marine terminal operations

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: IntroductionChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCERegion

Virginia International Gateway, The Port of Virginia, Virginia

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Page titleChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEOperating status

in use (undated Verizon customer story citing the port's 2025 financial year)

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Scaling safely and efficiently for the futureChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEProject date

network implemented in 2024

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Scaling safely and efficiently for the futureChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEReported use case

truck drivers switch from public 5G to the private network on entering the terminal · replacing the terminal Wi-Fi network and adding push-to-talk

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Choosing a Private 5G Network / Scaling safely and efficiently for the futureChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEVendors Named

Verizon (Private 5G Network: 5G Ultra Wideband small cells with an LTE packet core)

Verizon ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Choosing a Private 5G NetworkChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated