S.C. Ports Authority Handles Its Largest Container Ship
The South Carolina Ports Authority said Aug. 30 it welcomed the APL Yangshan, the largest containership ever to call the Port of Charleston.
The Yangshan measures 1,140 feet long and 148 feet wide, and can transport up to 10,700 20-foot equivalent units as part of its China East Coast weekly vessel service via the Suez Canal, acording to the port authority.
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“The deployment of new Panamax vessels to the East Coast trade marks a new era,” said Jim Newsome, CEO of SCPA. “Today, 16 of Charleston's 26 weekly calls are handled by vessels 5,000 TEUs or larger, and we expect to handle our first 14,000-TEU vessel call later this year. As the deepest harbor in the Southeast, Charleston is well-prepared to provide the depth as well as the capacity and infrastructure necessary for efficiently handling big ships.”
The Yangshan's milestone visit comes on the heels of the arrival of two new cranes last month, boosting big-ship handling capabilities at SCPA's Wando Welch Terminal, the port authority said. The cranes, which offer 155 feet of lift height from the dock, are expected to be operational by December 2016.
By December 2017, two additional cranes of this height will be delivered to the Wando Terminal in conjunction with the completion of a $44 million project to modernize and strengthen the terminal wharf, according to SCPA.
Meanwhile, the Yangshan departed Charleston for a call in Norfolk, Virginia, before it transits to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Charleston will receive the next vessel of this size, the APL Barcelona, in early September, the port authority said
Different perspective of the 10,700 TEU APL Yangshan pulling into #SCPorts. The largest vessel to call Charleston. pic.twitter.com/8Jip6wrv0D — South Carolina Ports (@SCPorts) August 30, 2016
APL Yangshan leaving CHS big ships move effortlessly in and out of our harbor. #keepingfreightmoving pic.twitter.com/Sv3HtB8pbv — Jim Newsome (@jnewsome3) August 30, 2016
@SCPorts I caught this beauty coming into the harbor at sunset last night. Same ship? pic.twitter.com/HKqpaDLmFR — ??? (@CrystalTheBruce) August 30, 2016
The largest ship to call #SCPorts arrived tonight. The 10,700-TEU APL Yangshan docked at the Wando Welch Terminal. pic.twitter.com/ljZlP4pPXa — South Carolina Ports (@SCPorts) August 30, 2016
