S.C. Ports Post Busiest Month Since 2008
April container volumes set a six-year record at the Port of Charleston, marking the busiest month since May 2008, the South Carolina Ports Authority said May 22.
The SCPA handled 151,790 20-foot-equivalent units in April. It has processed 1.374 million TEUs in its fiscal year, with two months remaining.
The increase in TEUs pushed its fiscal year 2014 volumes up by 5.5% year-over-year. April’s TEU volume represented a 12.3% increase over a year ago and a 21.7% increase over the same month of 2012.
“April reflected strong export growth at the Port of Charleston as we shipped 10.6% more containers overseas than the same month last year,” said Jim Newsome, SCPA’s CEO.
“These growth figures stress the importance of our deepwater harbor as American manufacturers and exporters look for efficient, expedient ways to send their goods overseas,” he said in a statement.
The port said its board also approved a $1.2 million contract for routine maintenance dredging at two terminals to accommodate expanded break-bulk operations.
“While we continue to see cargo growth in Charleston, our federal delegation gave its unified support for the Charleston Harbor deepening project and the Port of Georgetown by voting for the [recently passed] Water Resources Reform and Development Act,” SCPA Board Chairman Bill Stern said. “We thank our U.S. House and Senate members for their support.”
