Shipping
SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS REPORT RECORD VOLUMES IN OCTOBER
November 10, 2021
South Carolina Ports reported "record" October for containers handled as measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking the eighth consecutive month of record volumes at the Port of Charleston.
SC Ports said it moved 234,923 TEUs at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in October, a 9% increase year-over-year.
Fiscal-year-to-date, SC Ports has handled 919,440 TEUs at container terminals, up 15% from the same time a year ago.
Meanwhile, SC Ports also handled 130,417 pier containers, which account for boxes of any size, in October.
"This set a record for the month and reflects a nearly 9% increase year-over-year. SC Ports has moved 511,790 pier containers thus far in fiscal year 2022, up 15% from the same time a year ago," the port added.
SC Ports handled 107,773 TEUs of loaded imports in October, up 12% year-over-year.
SC Ports said retail imports during the period continue to drive sustained cargo growth as consumers buy more retail goods, home goods and furniture. Furniture imports alone are up 55% year-over-year at the Port of Charleston.
"SC Ports provides capacity, fluidity and predictability for retailers as record retail imports flow into the Port of Charleston," said SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome, adding that SC Ports has invested more than US$2 billion in port infrastructure in recent years to ensure supply chain fluidity.
The Port of Charleston consistently has berth availability, meaning ships do not wait to access terminals. This fluidity, combined with a deep harbor and efficient operations, attracts new calls and business to the Port of Charleston.
New Asia-US East Coast connection
SC Ports noted that Wan Hai Lines announced plans to begin calling on Charleston as part of its network expansion between Asia and the East Coast of North America.
The revamped AA7 service will provide better transit time and service coverage to meet customers’ rising demand, the line said.
"During this time of unprecedented supply chain challenges, shipping lines and cargo owners can take advantage of the opportunity to diversify their port gateways," Newsome said, noting that its fleet of 15 ship-to-shore cranes enable SC Ports to handle three 14,000-TEU container ships at one time at Wando Welch Terminal.
"Combined with the additional berth at the new Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, SC Ports can now seamlessly handle four 14,000-TEU container ships simultaneously," he added.
