Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal

1500 Port Access Rd., North Charleston, SC 29405

SC Ports’ Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal opened in March 2021 along the Cooper River in North Charleston, S.C., marking the country’s first container terminal to open in more than a decade.

Phase One of the Leatherman Terminal adds 700,000 TEUs of annual throughput capacity and an additional berth to the East Coast port market. When fully built, the 286-acre, three-berth terminal will add 2.4 million TEUs of throughput capacity to the Port of Charleston.

The state-of-the-art container terminal offers a 1,400-foot berth capable of handling a 20,000-TEU vessel, five ship-to-shore cranes with 169 feet of lift height and 228 feet of outreach, 25 hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes, eight empty container handlers, a refrigerated container yard, a new operating system and enhanced technologies — all designed to ensure efficient operations and speed-to-market for customers.

Leatherman Terminal enhances SC Ports’ ability to handle growing cargo volumes and the largest vessels calling the East Coast, ensuring South Carolina remains globally competitive for decades to come.

Driving Directions
From I-26, take the Port Access Road at Exit 218 (Hugh K. Leatherman Port Terminal). Follow the Port Access Road to the large traffic circle, and take the second exit to the terminal gates.

Statistics

  • Total Acreage: 286
  • Phase 1 Developed Acreage: 134
  • Phase 1 TEU Capacity: 700,000 TEUs
  • Berth Length: 1,400 ft
  • Container Yard Acreage: 47
  • Reefer Slots: 350 40 ft slot capacity, stacked 5 high with 10 racks
  • Interchange lanes/Gates: 10 inbound and 8 outbound lanes

Container Yard Equipment

  • Hybrid RTGs: 25
  • Empty Handlers: 8
  • Ship-to-shore Cranes: 5
CountShip-to-Shore Crane MakeOutreachContainers AcrossLift Height
5ZPMC228'26169'

RAIL SERVICES

  1. Norfolk Southern
  2. CSX