SC Ports sees 7% cargo growth in June
July 18, 2024
Wando Welch Terminal achieved an all-time record year, moving more than 1.2 million containers. (Photo/SCPA/English Purcell)
South Carolina Ports finished fiscal year 2024 strong with a 7% uptick in container volumes moving through the Port of Charleston last month.
SC Ports efficiently handled 218,115 TEUs and 121,267 pier containers last month, marking the second highest June on record. Loaded imports were up 10% and loaded exports were up 5%, signifying overall strength in the Southeast market.
“The Southeast market is booming, with a growing population driving imports and new manufacturing investments spurring exports,” SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said. “South Carolina Ports is well-positioned for this growth with a 52-foot-deep harbor, efficient terminals, new capacity on the horizon and an impressive inland port network.”
In fiscal year 2024, SC Ports and the broader maritime community handled nearly 2.5 million TEUs and 1.4 million pier containers. This is slightly down from the previous fiscal year.
Wando Welch Terminal notably achieved an all-time record year, with more than 1.2 million containers moving across its wharf, even as toe wall construction continues at the terminal.
“SC Ports works alongside our maritime partners to provide highly productive port service and fluidity in the Southeast supply chains,” Melvin said. “We remain focused on providing the operational excellence that our customers have come to expect from us, while proactively investing in port capacity to efficiently handle their growth.”
Both Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon handled record cargo volumes in fiscal year 2024, with a combined 230,409 containers being moved on and off trains at the rail-served inland ports, up 24% year-over-year.
“Our rail-served inland ports have seen tremendous growth this past year as more customers move cargo by rail,” Melvin said. “We are expanding Inland Port Greer and building the rail-served Navy Base Intermodal Facility to provide more rail capacity in the Southeast port market and further support our customers’ supply chains.”
Inland Port Greer handled 187,638 containers in fiscal year 2024, notching a 28% increase from the prior year. The Greer operation also achieved a record June with 16,450 containers handled, an 11% uptick from last year.
Inland Port Dillon saw significant cargo growth in fiscal year 2024, handling 9% more with 42,771 containers moved. This is the first time Inland Port Dillon handled more than 40,000 rail moves in a fiscal year.
SC Ports continued to serve as a critical supply chain partner for major automakers throughout South Carolina. SC Ports handled 210,817 vehicles in fiscal year 2024, up 12% from the year prior.
About South Carolina Ports
South Carolina Ports owns and operates marine terminals at the Port of Charleston and two rail-served inland ports in Greer and Dillon. As the 8th largest U.S. container port, SC Ports connects port-dependent businesses throughout the Southeast and beyond to global markets. SC Ports proactively invests in infrastructure ahead of demand to provide reliable service, efficient operations, cargo capacity, an expansive rail network and the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet. SC Ports is a vital economic engine for South Carolina, with port operations supporting 1 in 9 jobs statewide. Learn more: scspa.com.
