South Carolina Ports recorded what it described as its "best calendar year in history" in 2021 as the gateway handled an unprecedented amount of cargo.
"2021 was a truly banner year for South Carolina Ports," SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome said. "Amid tremendous and ongoing supply chain challenges, we handled record-breaking cargo volumes, while consistently providing capacity and fluidity for our customers."
In a statement, SC Ports said it handled 2.75 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in 2021 — a 19% increase from 2020 and a 13% increase from 2019.
SC Ports handled 1.53 million pier containers — which accounts for containers of any size — in 2021. This is an 18% increase from 2020 and a 11% increase from 2019.
SC Ports also noted that it set monthly year-over-year container records for ten consecutive months in 2021, from March through December. Much of the cargo growth stems from consumers buying more retail goods during the pandemic.
SC Ports handled 1.29 million loaded import TEUs in 2021, up 25% from the year prior. A significant uptick in retail imports — including home goods, appliances, furniture, clothing and electronics — drove much of this growth at the Port of Charleston.
SC Ports handled 814,964 loaded export TEUs in 2021, up 5% from the year prior.
“Big retailers continue to grow, increasing their need for a reliable partner in the supply chain. SC Ports provides capacity for retailers as record retail imports flow into the Port of Charleston,” Newsome said. “By investing more than US$2 billion in port infrastructure, SC Ports provides much-needed supply chain fluidity for customers.”
SC Ports’ two rail-served inland ports proved crucial to supply chain fluidity throughout the pandemic. It said Inland Port Greer handled a record calendar year with 160,234 rail moves, up 14% from 2020. Inland Port Dillon recorded 29,412 rail moves.
Automotive remained a steady segment for SC Ports in 2021, with 233,887 vehicles rolling across the docks at Columbus Street Terminal in support of global automakers. Vehicle volumes are up 6% from 2020.
"Our impressive cargo growth and efficient port terminals are made possible by our excellent port team, maritime community and logistics partners," said SC Ports COO Barbara Melvin.
