Strong volumes drive growth for South Carolina Ports Authority in early fiscal 2020

Nov 13, 2019: South Carolina Ports Authority (SC Ports) reported a stellar performance in the first four months of the fiscal year backed by strong volumes in both containerized and vehicular cargo.

SC Ports moved 217,360 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) across the Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals in October. Since July, the port authority moved 855,959 TEUs, a 7 percent increase over the previous year.

SCPA moved 122,591 pier containers in October for 484,549 pier containers in fiscal 2020, up nearly 7 percent from a year ago. SC Ports handled 20,986 vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal in October. SCPA has seen a 36 percent uptick in vehicles coming through the Port with 79,238 vehicles moved thus far in fiscal year 2020.

There was a strong uptick in breakbulk cargo figures as well. In October, 61,305 pier tonnes were handled; breakbulk cargo gained 43 percent with 247,111 pier tonnes handled since July.

“We have seen strong volumes in early fiscal year 2020 with growth across multiple business segments,” SC Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “While we face some uncertainty in the global market, we are working to further grow and diversify our cargo base to ensure continued success.”

SC Ports’ two inland ports continued to report strong growth. Inland Port Greer, located in the Upstate of South Carolina along Interstate 85, had 11,849 rail moves in October for a total of 54,514 rail moves thus far in fiscal year 2020, up 30 percent year-over-year.

Inland Port Dillon, which opened last year in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina along Interstate 95, handled 2,484 rail moves in October for a total of 11,151 rail moves since July.

“Southeast ports continue to outperform other US ports, which is a trend we anticipate continuing as SC Ports offers customers reliability, efficiently run terminals and the best workforce in the business,” Newsome said. “Our ongoing infrastructure projects, such as the opening of the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal in North Charleston in 2021, will ensure we have ample capacity to meet our customers’ future needs as well.”