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South Carolina ports handle record 2.2 million TEU in 2017

SOUTH Carolina Ports Authority handled a record 2.2 million TEU in 2017, up nine per cent year on year.

Last month's total was the highest for a December in the SCPA's history after 182,884 TEU moved through the port, representing an increase of 11.2 per cent over December 2016.

"Global container trade growth was the strongest it has been since 2010, mirroring surprising strength in the global economy," said SCPA president Jim Newsome.

"We expect to see continued strength, albeit slightly more modest, into 2018 with growth in the emerging market economies as a key factor in sustaining this positive outlook."

Inland port Greer handled 7,646 rail moves in December, pushing the facility's volumes to a new record of 124,817 total rail moves in 2017. Greer achieved 20.4 per cent growth over its 2016 volume of 103,639 rail moves.

In non-container cargo, SCPA's Charleston breakbulk facilities handled 75,316 pier tons in December and a total of 783,363 tons during 2017. Nearly 235,000 finished vehicles moved across the dock of the Columbus Street Terminal in 2017.

In addition to record-breaking volumes, 2017 was a year marked by significant advancement of key SCPA projects. Construction of the Leatherman Terminal continued, representing major growth capacity for the port's container business when phase one opens in 2020.

During the year, SCPA celebrated the groundbreaking of inland port Dillon, which will open in April. The port also made strong progress on the final phase of the Wando Terminal Wharf strengthening project, which will be completed this spring in conjunction with the delivery of two new 155-foot ship-to-shore cranes.

The project to deepen Charleston harbour to 52 feet is to begin next month after the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded the first two construction contracts of $47 million and $213 million to deepen the entrance channel. Most of the harbour deepening work is expected to the completed by the end of 2020.