South Carolina Ports Authority: A Hub for Trade and Tourism

The South Carolina Ports Authority is a major player in the state's economy, with a huge impact on trade and tourism. It's a hub for international shipping, with over 2 million containers passing through its ports each year.

The Port of Charleston is one of the busiest ports on the East Coast, with a terminal that can handle up to 700,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.

With 52 miles of coastline, South Carolina has a long history of maritime trade and commerce. The state's ports have been a vital part of its economy since the 18th century.

The South Carolina Ports Authority also plays a significant role in the state's tourism industry, with millions of visitors arriving by sea each year.

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The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) operates six public marine terminals in the Port of Charleston, handling both containerized and non-containerized cargo, as well as cruise passengers.

The SCPA's facilities in the Port of Charleston include the Union Pier Terminal, which handles forest products, metals, and other traditional break-bulk commodities, and the Columbus Street Terminal, which handles project cargo, break-bulk, and roll-on/roll-off cargo.

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The Wando Welch Terminal is a major container terminal that can handle container vessels of all sizes, with 20,074 grounded and 3,417 wheeled container slots, and 1,274 reefer slots.

Here is a list of the SCPA's terminals in the Port of Charleston:

The Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, which opened in March 2021, is a container terminal that can handle container ships of up to 20,000 TEU, and at full buildout, will increase port capacity by 50%.

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The Port of Charleston is a major player in the Southeast's logistics scene, with six public marine terminals handling both containerized and non-containerized cargo, as well as cruise passengers.

The SCPA owns and operates these facilities, with the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal being the newest addition, opening in March 2021 at the former Charleston Navy Base.

The Port of Charleston has a 52-foot-depth harbor, making it the deepest on the U.S. East Coast, and strategic port investments at its terminals enable efficient handling of the biggest ships at any tide.

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The Wando Welch Terminal, the busiest container terminal, has undergone upgrades to handle three mega containerships simultaneously at any tide, providing expedited logistics and consistent fluidity for ocean carriers.

Here are the six public marine terminals operated by the SCPA in the Port of Charleston:

These terminals offer a range of services, including breakbulk and container shipments, as well as passenger vessel operations.

Cruise Terminal and Pier Redevelopment has a rich history in the Port of Charleston. The Carnival Fantasy began home-porting in the Port of Charleston in May 2010.

The Carnival Fantasy was replaced by the Carnival Ecstasy in February 2016, and later by the Carnival Sunshine in May 2019. This change helped to bring in new economic benefits, with a study projecting that cruise operations could support 407 jobs and $37 million in economic benefits in 2010.

Cruise ships have been calling at Union Pier since 1913. To better handle ships, passengers, traffic, and security requirements, SC Ports identified a need to improve and enhance the cruise terminal.

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The Ports Authority began hosting meetings to tell the community how they envisioned developing an improved cruise facility. Through an extensive public process, including over 100 meetings with neighbors and other stakeholder groups, the Union Pier Concept Plan was endorsed unanimously by City Council in September 2010.

The resulting plan called for the refurbishment of an existing warehouse on the North end of Union Pier. The City of Charleston Board of Architectural Review approved the plan, paving the way for the redevelopment of the cruise terminal and pier.

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The Port of Charleston is a significant economic driver in South Carolina, ranking as the 6th port in the United States by cargo value in 2020, with over $72 billion in imports and exports traded across the docks.

In fiscal year 2021, the Port of Charleston handled an impressive 2.85 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), a testament to its efficiency and capacity.

A total of $1.05 billion was invested in new and existing facilities between Fiscal Years 2016 and 2020, a significant investment in the Port's infrastructure.

The South Carolina Ports Authority has made major improvements to existing facilities, technology upgrades, and the development of two inland ports in Greer and Dillon.

The Port of Charleston boasts the deepest water in the southeast region, with a harbor deepening project completed to make the entrance channel 54 feet and harbor channel 52 feet at mean low tide.

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