News Entries Archive - Page 29 of 73

SCPA Container Volume Climbs Nearly Four Percent

GAFFNEY, SC - April 20, 2016 -?Today South Carolina Ports Authority reported a 3.8 percent increase in twenty foot-equivalent unit (TEU) volume fiscal year to date, with 1.45 million TEUs handled since the period began in July.

March was a solid finish to the third quarter of fiscal year 2016, with 170,740 TEUs moved last month. From a calendar year to date perspective, year-over-year container volume was fairly flat through March, with 473,794 TEUs handled.

As measured in pier containers, or total box volume, SCPA handled 96,123 containers in March. Fiscal year to date, SCPA has moved 817,933 containers across the docks of its Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals.

"March volumes reflect the modest uptick we expected going into the spring, which is traditionally a seasonally strong time for SCPA," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO.

Charleston's non-containerized freight volumes through March exceeded fiscal year plans by 32 percent. Charleston moved 80,891 tons last month, with 671,545 pier tons handled fiscal year to date.

Vehicles remain a strong segment within the breakbulk business segment, and SCPA handled 25,839 vehicles in March. Fiscal year to date, finished vehicle volume is up 13 percent compared to the previous year.

Inland Port Greer handled 8,821 rail moves in March, achieving consecutive months of record-breaking volume. Fiscal year to date moves are up 66 percent, with 67,032 lifts since July.

Board Action

The Board adopted a resolution directing SCPA to move forward with a contract for the sale of its main office at 176 Concord Street in Charleston. SCPA accepted bids for the property from February 1 through April 15. Pending receipt of the additional earnest money required by the buyer, a 120-day due diligence period will begin. Details about the property and sales process are available at www.176concordstreet.com.

Local Students Name Inland Port Greer Cranes

Two Greer elementary students earned $500 from SCPA for their schools, thanks to their winning entries in a Port contest to name cranes at the Inland Port Greer.

The Port partnered with five elementary schools, including Buena Vista, Chandler Creek, Crestview, Skyland and Woodland, for the contest during the month of February. Third through fifth grade students submitted names for two rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs), which move loaded containers on and off trains, trucks and throughout the container yard. Over 140 student entries were received.

A team of SCPA employees selected the following two entries, which have been painted onto the RTG cranes: Cranefu Panda, submitted by Crestview Elementary School third grade student Emily Salvato, and Carolina Crane, submitted by Chandler Creek Elementary School fifth grader Abigail Stefanacci.

About South Carolina Ports Authority

South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. Home to the Southeast's deepest port, SCPA is the industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit?www.scspa.com.

SC Ports Authority Announces Plans for Second Inland Port Facility

GREER, SC -- April 20, 2016 -- Today South Carolina Ports Authority announced plans to pursue a second inland port facility, driven by tremendous success of Inland Port Greer and demand for enhanced efficiency of international container movements between the Port of Charleston and growing markets in South Carolina and North Carolina.

"Inland Port Greer is one of SCPA's most successful investments, as the growth of intermodal container volume movement in our state and region requires appropriate facilities in the interior to ground loaded and empty containers and to leverage the efficiency and sustainability of rail transportation," SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome said. "If it is feasible, an additional inland port will be a great diversification of our logistics footprint. We believe that building intermodal infrastructure in our state goes hand-in-hand with the significant investments we are making to our port facilities in Charleston. This is an exciting opportunity for SCPA."

Approximately 23 percent of containers imported or exported through Charleston last year moved by rail, with nearly 260,000 international intermodal rail lifts handled in 2015. Intermodal volume has seen staggering growth of 166 percent since 2011, driving increased demand for additional inland port facilities.
"While our discussions are preliminary, the success of Inland Port Greer demonstrates the market demand for additional intermodal hubs to support growing volumes of cargo moving to and from Charleston by rail," Newsome said. "We are working with CSX to determine the viability of Dillon, South Carolina as the location for our next inland port and hope to finalize our plans by the end of the year."

The Dillon site under SCPA consideration offers access to an existing CSX mainline, which opens a different intermodal marketplace from Inland Port Greer and provides access to Southeastern markets as well as the Midwest. Proximity to I-95, a critical transportation artery in the Southeast, is an important benefit of the location as well as current port users in the area, which represent significant base cargo opportunities for the facility.

"A second inland port in South Carolina would expand transportation options in the state, lowering shipping costs for South Carolina businesses and improving competitiveness," said Dean Piacente, CSX Vice President, Intermodal. "This project would also generate substantial public benefits by creating jobs, spurring economic development and reducing traffic congestion on I-26 and I-95."

The facility design and footprint, costs, and construction timeline are being studied by Hamburg Port Consultants (HPC). SCPA is pursuing federal infrastructure funding assistance through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program to supplement the capital investment required for the project.

"According to a recent economic impact study, port-related jobs pay 40 percent higher than the statewide average," said T.F. Finklea, Dillon County Council Chairman. "We are excited about the possibility for Dillon to be the site of the next Inland Port and look forward to partnering with the South Carolina Ports Authority to help make this a reality. Today is a great day for Dillon and our region."

SC Ports Authority Celebrates Success of Inland Port Greer

GREER, SC - April 20, 2016 - This morning South Carolina Ports Authority held a celebration of the success of Inland Port Greer, a critical component of the intermodal container logistics landscape in South Carolina and the Southeast region less than three years after opening in November 2013.

"This is truly a momentous day for the SCPA and Inland Port Greer," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "We celebrate a record volume of almost 9,000 rail container lifts in last month. Such volume annualized means we can achieve 100,000 rail lifts in calendar year 2016, a volume that we originally expected that would only be possible in five years' time. This facility is firing on all cylinders, with a rich mix of exports, imports and empty container movements for many of the major container shipping lines."

Early discussions between SCPA and Norfolk Southern began in January 2012 for the development of Inland Port Greer, a facility designed to convert a significant volume of existing containerized truck traffic between Greer and Charleston to rail along as well as create a significant distribution center hub for the area. SCPA broke ground on the 40-acre site in March 2013.

Inland Port Greer uniquely involves the convergence of four modes of transportation at one site, with the Port, rail, truck and the nearby GSP International Airport all handling international commerce for the region's shippers. It operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week to serve the just-in-sequence supply chain needs of SCPA's major customers. Located within 500 miles of 100 million consumers in the Eastern U.S., Greer is an ideal for overnight distribution.

"Today, we also celebrate the significant decision by Dollar Tree to build a major, 'big box' distribution center in Cowpens, South Carolina that will be served by Inland Port Greer," Newsome said. "The first of many containers from Dollar Tree will soon arrive here in Greer, marking further growth for this amazing facility. We feel that many more such facilities can be located in this area as a result."

Newsome cited the the following critical components for success of an inland port: an existing mainline, intermodal containerized rail service; an anchor client providing a significant cargo base at facility start-up; and a willing local community of elected officials, business partners and neighbors.

"Most importantly, today we recognize the fact that this great facility was only realized through the collaboration of many groups who saw a good idea and helped bring it to fruition," Newsome said. "I extend our thanks to those parties and give my commitment that the Port will continue to work diligently to realize the full potential of this facility as a catalyst for economic growth in this important region of our state. Going forward, we are excited to build upon the success of Inland Port Greer and consider opportunities for similar projects in other locations in the state and region."

South Carolina Ports Authority Exports Two Millionth South Carolina-Made BMW

CHARLESTON, SC - March 17, 2016 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority exported the two millionth BMW manufactured in South Carolina, a milestone celebration of the Port's longstanding partnership with the nation's top vehicle exporter by value.

The two millionth vehicle, a Space Grey Metallic BMW X5 M50d, was loaded for export onto the ELEKTRA vessel operated Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics for delivery to a customer in Germany.

"SC Ports Authority has a strong history with BMW Manufacturing, and their operations are a tremendous asset to our port and region," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "Today we commend a talented, committed workforce at BMW on this achievement and celebrate their continued trust in us to deliver South Carolina-made BMWs to the world."

The Port exported over 250,000 BMW vehicles in 2015, driving SCPA's 13 percent year-over-year increase in finished vehicle volume last year. SCPA also serves BMW's containerized shipping needs, handling import engines and transmissions from Germany and export maintenance parts as well as vehicle kits for emerging markets.

"Together with such partners as SCPA, BMW has become part of the fabric of this great state and is a wonderful illustration of what can be achieved when federal, state and local government work hand-in-hand with business," said Manfred Erlacher, President and CEO, BMW Manufacturing. "I am honored to celebrate the two millionth BMW exported through the South Carolina Ports."

SCPA played a key role in BMW's decision to locate in South Carolina, and its first import vehicles were handled through Charleston in 1994. In 2011 SCPA completed a?$23 million renovation of Columbus Street Terminal as a state-of-the-art breakbulk facility with adequate capacity for growing vehicle volumes, and BMW is the largest user of that terminal today.

BMW's cargo commitment was a significant factor in SCPA's decision to open the Inland Port in Greer, South Carolina in 2013. With BMW as the launch customer, the Inland Port has since added numerous users and far surpassed volume expectations, with over 75,000 rail moves handled last year.

"As the gateway to the global marketplace, the Port plays a critical role in supporting our state and region's manufacturing economy," Newsome said. "SCPA is proud to serve BMW's 'just in sequence' supply chain needs through our Charleston and Greer facilities, and we look forward to supporting their continued future growth."

Today SCPA and BMW officials commemorated the two millionth BMW vehicle manufactured by Plant Spartanburg and exported through the Port of Charleston.

About BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany and is the global producer of the BMW X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X4 and X6 Sports Activity Coupe. In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW Group North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America; and a design firm and technology office in California. For more information on BMW Manufacturing, visit www.bmwusfactory.com.

About South Carolina Ports Authority

South Carolina Ports Authority Container Volume Up 4.4 Percent

CHARLESTON, SC - March 17, 2016 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority reported fiscal year-over-year growth through February, with 4.4 percent gains in container volume since the 2016 fiscal year began in July.

SCPA handled 157,962 twenty foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in February, an increase of 3.3 percent over February 2015. SCPA's total fiscal year-to-date container volume reached nearly 1.28 million TEUs last month, compared to 1.23 TEUs handled during the same period last year.

Pier container volume, or boxes handled, totaled 88,643 containers in February. Fiscal year to date, 721,810 total containers have moved across the docks of SCPA's two container terminals.

"February volumes showed modest increases over last year, and we expect continued moderate upticks in our volumes through the spring," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO.

Non-containerized cargo volumes were strong last month, with 66,619 pier tons handled in Charleston in February. Total fiscal year-to-date breakbulk volume is nearly 31 percent ahead of plan, with 799,687 pier tons handled during the period.

The Inland Port handled 8,623 rail moves in February, its highest ever monthly volume since the facility opened in November 2013. Fiscal year-to-date rail moves have increased nearly 66 percent, with 58,211 moves since July.

Board Action

The Board approved two contracts advancing the progress of the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, including construction quality assurance services and site preparation.

The Board also approved plans to purchase a 185-foot boom lift truck for Wando Welch Terminal. The truck will be used for service and maintenance activities performed on SCPA's two new super post-Panamax cranes, which are scheduled to be delivered in late May.

About South Carolina Ports Authority

SCPA Announces Improved Rail Service between Port of Charleston and Charlotte, NC

CHARLESTON, SC - March 10, 2016 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority announced a significant enhancement to international intermodal rail service between the Port of Charleston and the Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility at the Charlotte Douglass International Airport.

Effective March 12, the new two-day Norfolk Southern service will operate five days per week connecting Charleston and Charlotte using existing dedicated intermodal trains.

"This dramatically-improved containerized rail service between Charlotte and the Port of Charleston is the result of collaboration between the Norfolk Southern Railway and the South Carolina Ports Authority," said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome. "It builds on the existing, high speed intermodal network between Charleston and the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer. Charlotte is most logically served via the Port of Charleston, and this link provides a very reliable rail option that has not previously existed. The Charlotte market is fast-growing and offers a very diverse containerized cargo base, including furniture, home improvement goods, general department store merchandise, and chemicals."

Containers moving between Charleston and Charlotte will ride an existing Norfolk Southern overnight intermodal train between Charleston and Spartanburg, where they will connect to intermodal train service between Spartanburg and Charlotte.

About South Carolina Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. Home to the Southeast's deepest port, SCPA is the industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit www.scspa.com.

South Carolina Ports Authority Brings Solar Power to Terminals

CHARLESTON, SC - March 4, 2016 - Today the South Carolina Ports Authority announced plans to bring solar power to the Wando Welch and Columbus Street terminals, making SCPA the largest rooftop solar host in the state and further enhancing the Port's commitment to environmentally-responsible operations.

Two solar panel arrays generating 3.7 total megawatts of electricity will be installed on warehouse rooftops at the two SCPA terminals by summer 2016. The panels will provide a significant off-set to the Port's energy usage, returning power to the grid during peak hours of energy demand and resulting in a direct reduction to SCPA's power costs.

"The solar project is an exciting step that deepens the Port's ongoing efforts to be an environmental leader in our industry," said Pat McKinney, SCPA Board Chair. "The Board fully supports our staff's recommendation of a rooftop lease agreement, which allows us to focus on our core business of running a port while still achieving both environmental and financial benefits."

Under a 25-year rooftop lease agreement, the panels will be owned and maintained by SolBright Renewable Energy, LLC with no direct expense to SCPA. The panels are expected generate $1.5 million or more in profit for the SCPA over the life of the lease.

"The Port has a responsibility to operate in a matter that is both mindful of the environment and good for business," said Jim Newsome, SCPA President and CEO. "The panels will be a highly visible reflection of our sustainability program, and we look forward to the overall positive environmental and economic benefits they will provide."

About South Carolina Ports Authority

Container Volume Up Nearly Five Percent at South Carolina Ports Authority

CHARLESTON, SC - February 17, 2016 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority reported a nearly five percent increase in container volume since its fiscal year began in July.

SCPA moved 145,092 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in January. Fiscal year-to-date volumes reached 1.12 million TEUs last month, an increase from 1.07 million TEUs handled during the same period last year.

Pier container volume, or boxes handled, totaled 81,993 containers in January. Pier container volume is up 3.1 percent fiscal year over year, with 633,167 containers handled to date.

"January volumes were slightly down, which we expected due to strong comparisons against last year's performance as well as weakness overseas," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "Our volumes will likely remain fairly flat during the next several months until the spring, which is traditionally a strong season for SCPA."

Fiscal year-to-date breakbulk volume reached 727,360 tons in January, remaining slightly ahead of plan. Charleston's non-containerized cargo volumes were particularly strong, and with 68,499 tons moved in January, Charleston breakbulk is nearly 33 percent above planned fiscal year-to-date levels.

The Inland Port reached 7,457 rail moves in January, a significant increase from the facility's 5,068 moves in January 2015. Fiscal year to date, Inland Port volumes are up 63 percent compared to last fiscal year, with 49,588 rail moves completed since July.

Board Action
The Board approved a contract for the investigation and excavation of historical resources on the Yellow House Creek Borrow Site, a location from which soil fill material will be mined for construction of the Leatherman Terminal. The work will be performed in coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office.

Two construction contracts were approved for the Wando Welch Terminal, including ground improvement for the expansion of the refrigerated container service area and annual berth maintenance dredging.

In addition, the Board approved a contract for asphalt pavement of 15 acres at Union Pier Terminal.

About SC Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. Home to the Southeast's deepest port, SCPA is the industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on South Carolina Ports, please visit scspa.com.

New Orleans Cold Storage Expansion Grows Charleston's Cold Storage Capacity

CHARLESTON, SC - January 20, 2016 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) officials celebrated the newly-expanded New Orleans Cold Storage (NOCS) facility in North Charleston, an important addition to SCPA's ability to serve the growing refrigerated cargo market.

Driven by SCPA's 38 percent growth of refrigerated cargo since 2011, Charleston has attracted significant investments in cold storage over the past year.

"NOCS's expansion is significant to SCPA, especially given the strategic importance of refrigerated cargo to our business," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "The addition of significant local cold storage and freezer space in the Charleston area supports SCPA's continued above-market growth in this sector."

Completed in November 2015, the expansion increases the facility's blast freezing capabilities by 50 percent. The addition of 81,000 square feet more than doubles NOCS's local footprint, which now offers 136,000 square feet of cold storage.

"We are looking forward to offering even more services to our clients at the Port of Charleston, where we have been for almost 30 years," said Mark Blanchard, NOCS President and CEO. "This expansion will help us continue to be one of the largest logistics and cold storage suppliers to the poultry, pork, beef, seafood, vegetable, and international refrigerated food industries."

NOCS originally located in Charleston in 1986 to provide cold storage for import meats from Australia, New Zealand, Central America and South America.

About NOCS

NOCS is a premier logistics provider specializing in import and export services for food processors and distributors. Operating from four key port facilities on the southeast seaboard and Gulf of Mexico, NOCS offers a "one-stop" export process, including transportation to the port, blast freezing and warehousing, certification and documentation, plus stevedoring (loading of break-bulk vessels). An equally seamless service streamlines inbound shipments destined for U.S. markets. Since 1886, NOCS has been the door to the world for international food companies. The NOCS business model of market-specific facilities provides greater operating efficiency and professional expertise at the warehouse level. Such markets include the Southeast US, the panhandle of Florida to the West Gulf Coast of Texas, Central and South America, the Pacific Basin, the Australian-New Zealand trade, the People's Republic of China, Africa, the Eastern bloc countries and Russia.

About South Carolina Ports Authority

South Carolina Ports Authority (SPCA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. Home to the Southeast's deepest port, SCPA is the industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit www.scspa.com.

SC Ports Authority Posts 10 Percent Container Growth in 2015

CHARLESTON, SC - January 20, 2016 - South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) posted 10 percent container growth in 2015, a year highlighted by strong volumes and significant progress on the harbor deepening project.

SCPA handled 144,718 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in December, pushing total container volume to 1.97 million in 2015.

As measured in pier containers, or total boxes handled, SCPA's two container terminals moved 1.12 million boxes in 2015, an increase of 9.54 percent over 1.02 million containers handled last year.

"Our 10 percent TEU volume growth for the 2015 calendar year is outstanding," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "Successful recruitment of discretionary cargo has been an important driver of volumes, as well as continued strength of the automotive sector. However, looking ahead to the second half of our 2016 fiscal year, we expect flat to very modest growth due largely to weakness in overseas markets. Because of the Panama Canal expansion delay, we will not see new ship deployments of significance until FY2017."

Non-containerized cargo business volume was strong in 2015, with 1.34 million pier tons handled during the year. Finished vehicle volume grew 13 percent year over year, with 268,964 vehicles crossing SCPA docks in 2015. The Inland Port handled 7,824 rail moves in December, more than double the facility's December volume last year. The facility's rail volumes grew 76.5 percent during its second full calendar year of operation, with 75,111 total rail moves completed in 2015.

In addition to strong volume growth during the year, Newsome also highlighted the successful progress of the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. With the issuance of the Chief's Report in September and signing of the PreConstruction Engineering and Design Agreement in December, the project continued to move forward with historic momentum through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers SMART planning process. Last week the project cleared another milestone, with the Record of Decision, the formal recommendation of the project to Congress for authorization.

New Multi-Purpose Carrier Service

SCPA recently added a new regular shipping service, Atlantic Ro-Ro Carriers (ARRC), to its vessel calls at Columbus Street Terminal. The first ARRC vessel arrived on January 8, handling approximately 6,000 tons of import cargo.

ARRC specializes in handling freight for multiple business segments, including container, breakbulk, rolling stock and project cargo. Charleston is an addition to ARRC's Balt-Atlantic service, which utilizes multiple vessels to connect St. Petersburg, Russia and other North Europe ports with the U.S. East Coast.

"ARRC's multi-purpose capabilities are an exciting addition to SCPA's breakbulk opportunities that further enhance our connection with North Europe," said Paul McClintock, SCPA Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "We're pleased to welcome their regular calls."

Board Action

The Board approved two contracts related to the development of the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, including consultancy services for the concept design phase and a change order for additional construction activities pertaining to the containment wall. The facility will increase SCPA's current container capacity by 50 percent, with the first phase expected to open for operations by 2020.

To accommodate rapid growth within SCPA's refrigerated cargo market, the Board also approved a construction contract for the installation of additional refrigerated container infrastructure at the Wando Welch Terminal.

Main Office Sale

The Board authorized SCPA to sell the Main Office at 176 Concord Street in Charleston and directed the Real Estate Development Committee to finalize the offering and process by February 1.

"The need for our administrative and corporate office to be closer to our port operations is the primary driver of our decision to sell our current office," Newsome said.

Resolution Honoring Former Charleston Mayor

The Board also adopted a resolution honoring the former Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and declaring January 20, 2016, as Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Day at the Port of Charleston.

"Mayor Riley's father served on the SCPA Board from 1969 to 1977, and he continued that legacy as a tireless supporter of the growth and development of our Port," said SCPA Board Chair Pat McKinney. "Especially with regard to the harbor deepening project, Mayor Riley has worked in partnership with our Board and staff to ensure the economic wellbeing of the Port, and in turn the entire City of Charleston."

Riley utilized his relationships with the Obama Administration to elevate the importance of harbor deepening and to garner support and timely forward progress of the project on the federal level. He has also supported SCPA's cruise business and plans for the non-maritime redevelopment of Union Pier for the benefit of the Port and the City.

About South Carolina Ports Authority

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