State port officials say the $2.5 billion Craney Island Marine Terminal probably won't be ready to handle its first cargo container until mid-2020, three years later than originally planned.

Construction on the Virginia Port Authority project was supposed to begin in July. But a sharp decline in revenue triggered by a worldwide economic recession, tight credit markets and other factors forced port officials to delay plans on the Elizabeth River cargo terminal.

Jeff Florin, the port authority's deputy executive director of operations, said Tuesday that the first step of preparing the area for construction is now slated for July 2010. The actual work of building the concrete platform and installing the terminal infrastructure won't start until about 2016.