Posted on October 19, 2023
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – After more than $3 billion in infrastructure investments, South Carolina Ports is positioned to be the “preferred port” on the U.S. East Coast, the leader of the leader of South Carolina Ports says.
South Carolina Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin announced plans during her second State of the Port address Monday to modernize the North Charleston Terminal to make it comparable to the Wando Welch Terminal. The result will be the addition of at least 2 million TEUs of additional capacity at the Port of Charleston.
A TEU is a twenty-foot equivalent unit, a measurement of cargo capacity roughly equal to the capacity of a standard 20-foot cargo container.
“We have the opportunity to enhance North Charleston Terminal and add capacity to an already-deepened asset to further support our customers’ supply chains,” Melvin said.
The Cooper River has been deepened up to the North Charleston Terminal as part of the Charleston Harbor Deepening project. That work, combined with the South Carolina Department of Transporation’s plans to replace the Don Holt Bridge on Interstate 526, sets the stage for the North Charleston Terminal modernization, she said.
“A taller bridge and deepened harbor can accommodate larger vessels and enhanced terminal capacity will drive growth,” Melvin said. “The South Carolina Department of Transportation is playing a pivotal role in this vision. We are excited to see this critical highway infrastructure project benefit the people who live here, as well as the businesses that depend on the port. These investments will support SC companies’ growth well into the future.”
Melvin said SC Ports is actively building port capacity and rail capabilities with the new Navy Base Intermodal Facility in North Charleston, saying they made “significant progress” over the past year to prepare the site for new cargo-handling equipment, buildings and rail tracks.
The state-of-the-art cargo yard will be served by CSX and Norfolk Southern when it opens in July 2025.
Plans also call for a future barge operation that will help transport containers between port terminals. State funding totaling $550 million will help make the infrastructure projects possible, she said.
“The South Carolina Legislature and Governor McMaster understand the key role our port plays in driving our state’s economy,” Melvin said. “When our port grows, our state thrives.”
SC Ports is also doubling cargo capacity and enhancing rail capabilities at Inland Port Greer to handle the customer growth in the Upstate over the past decade.
In the Lowcountry, where Charleston now boasts the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet, SC Ports has also invested in its ro-ro and breakbulk operation and high-performing container terminals.
The modernized Wando Welch Terminal offers 15 155-foot-tall ship-to-shore cranes, giving each berth five massive ship-to-shore cranes to work three ships at one time.
The state-of-the-art Leatherman Terminal stands ready with 700,000 TEUs of capacity to further support U.S. supply chains, she said.
“As a state, this all makes us more competitive. When we build port capacity, we attract more businesses, investments and jobs to our communities,” Melvin said. “These strategic investments have generational impact across our entire state. SC Ports is proud to keep freight moving for South Carolina.”
Report: SC Ports brings in $86.7B to state’s economy annually
A 2023 SC Ports’ Economic Impact Study found that port activities support one in nine jobs in the state, compared to one out of every 10 back in 2019.
The total economic impact of South Carolina Ports is $86.7 billion annually, which supports 260,020 jobs and $17.6 billion in labor income, the study found. Up to 73.2% of all cargo exported through SC Ports originates from companies located in South Carolina.
The Southeastern United States is projected to experience more population gains than any other U.S. region through the year 2040 and South Carolina has the second-highest projected population growth with 22.5%.
Melvin also discussed the future of Union Pier and plans to work alongside the city of Charleston and the College of Charleston’s Riley Center for Livable Communities.
“We are within the next year moving that project forward in conjunction with all of the planning that the city will be doing for a union pier as well,” she said.
During her first report last October, she revealed that eleven of the past 12 months had been record-breaking months in terms of volume, leading Charleston to move up a slot to eighth in the nation.
