The completion of the $5.4 billion, nine-year project to expand the Panama Canal opens up the trade route to the East Coast for ships from Asia, shortening the trip to the U.S. by five days. Updates included a third traffic lane through the canal, which doubled its capacity. Since its opening on June 26, 136 ships have made plans to travel through the renovated canal.

Virginia now has the deepest port on the East Coast with the highest capacity for today's largest trade vessels. The Port of Virginia is located only two and a half hours from open sea and is the only East Coast port with congressional authorization for 55-foot deep channels. On top of it all, Gov. Terry McAuliffe just announced a $350 million grant for expansion to the Port.

It seemed Virginia was on the cusp of a large opportunity to increase international trade previously dominated by the West Coast. But, then came the Brexit, the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.