Posted on August 31, 2026
By Ian Kayanja
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — South Carolina Ports may soon be deepening the North Charleston Terminal, allowing all container terminals to handle the largest ships at any tide, officials said.
A feasibility study for the project was signed Friday with the South Carolina Ports and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Officials with the SC Ports believe the project will align with long-term modernization plans and make the port more competitive.
“Having the deepest harbor in the Southeast ensures expedited logistics for port customers and enhances South Carolina’s competitiveness, helping to drive cargo growth and create jobs,” said Micah Mallace, the president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Ports.
With the agreement signed, the Army Corps’ engineers will begin the environmental and economic analysis of the proposed upper harbor deepening. Congress authorized the study in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, and federal funding was included in the FY26 Federal Appropriations.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott described the project as one that “will help make sure the region remains an epicenter of the East Coast’s port system, supporting jobs, businesses, and manufacturers across our state.”
U.S. Sen. Darline Graham echoed Scott’s sentiments.
“Ensuring the harbor remains the deepest harbor in the Southeast preserves the Port’s competitiveness and efficiency by attracting the biggest container ships in the world. It’s vital we examine the feasibility of deepening the Upper Harbor,” she said.
Charleston Harbor was successfully deepened in 2022 to 52 feet — including up to SC Ports’ Wando and Leatherman Terminals — to accommodate two-way traffic and vessels sailing at any tide. Adding additional depth to this stretch of the Cooper River — between Leatherman and North Charleston Terminals — will complete the deepening project for the Port of Charleston.
