Authorities warned they were closing the Port of Virginia at midnight on Friday ahead of the advancing Winter Storm Helena.
US Coast Guard (USCG) said commercial shipping would be barred from entering or exiting Chesapeake Bay in the face of the severe winter storm that was bringing blizzard warnings with the likelihood of zero visibility on the water.
And movement within the port of vessels 5,000 tonnes or greater would be possible only with the permission of the Captain of the Port.
The Port of Virginia comprises four marine terminals on the harbour of Hampton Roads. The four are Norfolk International Terminals (NIT), Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT), Newport News Marine Terminal (NNMT) and Virginia International Gateway (VIG) at Portsmouth.
