Port of Charleston Welcomes 300th Big Ship
December 12, 2010
CHARLESTON, SC – December 12, 2010 – The Port of Charleston celebrated another deepwater milestone today, welcoming the 300th post-Panamax ship to call the port.
The MSC Stella, which has a maximum draft of more than 47 feet, docked at the Wando Welch Terminal this morning. The ship is the 300th post-Panamax ship to take advantage of Charleston’s deep shipping channel – the deepest water in the U.S. Southeast – that accommodates ships actually drawing up to 48 feet on a regular basis.
Additionally, more than three dozen ships of 8,000-TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) size or greater have called the Port of Charleston since February, when MSC initiated its Golden Gate Service in Charleston with the first call of the MSC Rita.
About the South Carolina State Ports Authority
The South Carolina State Ports Authority, established by the state’s General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston and Georgetown, handling international commerce valued at nearly $45 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, port operations facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina and $44.8 billion in economic activity each year. For more information, visit www.scspa.com.
