Future Port Development(1) NEW TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION – CHARLESTON & JASPER
In April 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued permits for a new three-berth, 280-acre container terminal on the former Charleston Naval Complex. The state permits were issued in late 2006. The $600-million project is supported by S.C. State Law and will boost capacity by 1.4 million TEU. Demolition of buildings and structures on the site was approved in August 2007 and other preliminary work to prepare the site for consolidation and construction is well underway. The terminal’s 171-acre first phase is slated to open in early 2013.
In January 2005, the SCSPA Board unanimously voted to begin the necessary steps to acquire approximately 1,800 acres of property for a port facility on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River in Jasper County. In April 2007, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford signed into law a bill defining the SCSPA’s role in leading port expansion in Jasper County. In addition, a bi-state task force is meeting to determine the potential for cooperation between the states to realize the project.
(2) $128.7 MILLION CAPITAL PLAN
To handle near-term growth and improve utilization of existing terminals, Charleston has a $128.7-million capital plan for fiscal year 2008. The plan will fund improvements to existing facilities like yard expansion and enhancement, new equipment and dock and infrastructure improvements, as well as projects related to new terminal development at the former Navy Base.
(3) EQUIPMENT AND INFORMATION ADVANCES
In 2006 and 2007, the Port of Charleston received more than $64 million in new equipment, including sixteen rubber-tired gantry cranes and four super post-Panamax container cranes. Charleston's real-time, RF-based container inventory network, Yard Management System (YMS), is operational at all container terminals. YMS has allowed the port to handle a much larger cargo volume with the same staff, all while improving productivity. Charleston’s crane productivity in FY07 rose 5%, averaging 40.53 moves per hour per crane for the entire year, up from 38.76 moves per hour in fiscal 2006. Average trucker turn times through the SCSPA’s common user gates dropped to just 20.76 minutes, a 10% improvement over FY06.
(4) HARBOR DEEPENING TO -45’ COMPLETE
To accommodate the larger container ships serving world trade, the $148-million Charleston Harbor Deepening & Widening Project was completed in May 2004. Channels leading to all container terminals are now -45 feet (13.7 m) at mean low water (5- to 6-foot tidal lift), while the entrance channel has been deepened to -47 feet (14.3 m). For more information on harbor deepening, click here.
(5) NATION’S LARGEST CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE
Charleston is also home to the largest cable-stayed bridge in North America. The $632-million Ravenel Bridge crosses the main shipping channel, replacing two older bridges and opening Charleston to larger vessels with higher and wider clearance. The bridge, which was completed under budget and a year ahead of schedule, opened on July 16, 2005 with 186 feet of air draft at mean high water.
SC State Ports Authority, 176 Concord Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401, Toll-Free: 1-800-845-7106
1998, 2008 South Carolina Ports. All rights reserved. | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Feedback
