South Carolina (S.C.) Ports Authority remains positive about the long-term outlook for the gateway despite the current negative impact of the coronavirus disease — focusing on its fundamentals instead and pursuing its infrastructure investments.

SC Ports said it handled 176,152 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) at the Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals in April. The Port has also handled 2 million TEUs thus far in the fiscal year 2020, from July through April.

"Overall, fiscal-year-to-date volumes remained steady compared to the same period in the fiscal year 2019. However, April volumes were down year-over-year due to the temporary closure of automotive plants and the global disruption of supply chains as many stores and businesses halted operations in response to COVID-19," S.C. Ports Authority said in a statement. 

During the same month S.C. Ports handled 34,232 pier tons of breakbulk in April for a total of 575,893 pier tons thus far in the fiscal year 2020, up about 14% from the year prior. The Columbus Street Terminal had also 9,036 vehicles roll across its docks in April for a total of 183,131 vehicles fiscal-year-to-date, up 17% for the fiscal year 2020.

Strength in fundamentals

"The Southeast is the best place to be in the port business with a growing population to boost consumer goods imports, and a strong business base to strengthen imports and exports of raw materials and finished products," the Port Authority noted, adding that the port offers cargo owners access to markets, efficient operations, fast truck turn times and a dual-served intermodal rail network.

“We are a top 10 US container port located in an incredibly strong market with great fundamentals,” said Jim Newsome, SC Ports President and CEO. 

“We remain focused on supporting our existing customers while recruiting new business to the market.”

S.C. Ports saw cargo volumes double over the past decade, in large part from the boom in advanced manufacturing throughout the Southeast.

Strength in infrastructure

S.C. Ports noted that it is also on track to open the new Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in North Charleston, S.C., in March 2021. Phase One will add about 700,000 TEUs of capacity to S.C. Ports.

Five new ship-to-shore cranes with 169 feet of lift height and 25 hybrid rubber-tiered gantry cranes will also arrive later this year to outfit the first phase of the terminal. Phase One will have a 1,400-foot berth capable of handling a 19,000-TEU vessel.

The opening of the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal will coincide with achieving a 52-foot depth in Charleston Harbor, greatly enhancing S.C. Ports’ big-ship capabilities.

“Ports are a long-term business requiring long-term assets. This makes our operations more resilient to economic fluctuations,” Newsome said.

“The opening of the country’s newest container terminal will position us well to handle bigger ships and growing cargo volumes for decades to come,” he added.

Meanwhile, last month S.C. Ports also said it worked three of the largest vessels to ever call on the Port of Charleston in April — the 13,200-TEU OOCL Chongqing, the 14,000-TEU Monaco Bridge and the 14,000-TEU APL Sentosa.