The Virginia Port Authority, a political subdivision, reports to the Virginia Secretary of Transportation and is responsible for operating, developing and marketing the Port of Virginia. The port is composed of four deep-water marine terminals (Norfolk International Terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal, Virginia International Gateway, and Portsmouth Marine Terminal), an upriver barge terminal (Port of Richmond) and an inland intermodal ramp (Virginia Inland Port in Warren County).

Between 1922 and 1970, the Commonwealth established several entities that were responsible for overseeing port development, though the earlier versions of the Virginia Port Authority generally lacked the funding and authority needed for progess. In 1922, the General Assembly established the Hampton Roads Port Commission, which served primarily as a study and advisory board. This Commission was abolished in 1926, when the General Assembly created the State Port Authority. This Authority had many of the same functions as the previous Commission, but also had supervisory and regulatory powers to assist with the coordination of the local government port programs. This body was also abolished with the authorization of the Virginia State Ports Authority in 1952. The new incarnation of the agency was authorized to obtain real property and issue revenue bonds for the acquisition, construction or reconstruction of harbors, seaports and port facilities, which enabled the authority to function with more control. In 1970, based on recommendations from the Breeden Commission study report, the name of the agency was changed to the current name, the Virginia Port Authority, and it was charged with purchasing the various port facilities from local governments and consolidating and unifying them under one single port authority.