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COLUMBIA, S.C. - December 13, 2010 - The South Carolina Department of Commerce and the South Carolina State Ports Authority today announced that Regal Logistics, a third party logistics company, will establish its new distribution center in Berkeley County. The multi-million dollar investment is expected to generate 30 new full-time jobs, and 50 to 100 seasonal jobs.

“Regal's expansion in Charleston is in direct response to manufacturers, importers and exporters’ demand for an ideal east coast ship point to satisfy major retailers like Walmart,” said Regal Logistics Vice President Garry Neeves. “We’re confident that Regal's facility will attract new business to the area in the form of manufacturers and importers shipping product through the Port of Charleston for distribution to major retailers in the East. In fact, it already has," continued Neeves.  “Our new warehouse in the U.S. Southeast compliments our Pacific Northwest distribution center operation and brings not only the benefits of bicoastal distribution?fuel savings, e-commerce shipping, reduced transit time, and advantages of the expanded Panama Canal route?but also Port of Charleston pier efficiency and deep water passage.”

Regal Logistics’ new distribution center in Berkeley County at 1980 Technology Road in a 351,000-square-foot existing building is open for business and designed for high-volume, quick-turnaround, retail-compliant shipping. A modern tilt-up concrete panel facility, it's centrally located three miles from I-526, four miles from Port of Charleston’s main Wando Welch Terminal, and offers foreign trade zone and drayage zone status for less expensive container transportation to ports.

“The Port of Charleston is fundamental driver in advancing economic development in South Carolina and today’s announcement is another sign that Commerce’s partnership with the Ports Authority under Jim Newsome’s leadership continues to pay dividends. Regal Logistics’ investment in our state is also further evidence that the port, along with our exceptional market access, business-friendly climate and reliable workforce are working to attract new jobs and investments here. We welcome Regal Logistics to South Carolina and look forward to a long mutually beneficial relationship with them in the years ahead,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.

Regal provides distribution, pick & pack, export/import shipping, consolidation, cross docking, transloading, drop shipping, administrative support and value added services at its new facility, which is fully equipped with the latest information technologies including WMS, EDI, ASN, RFID and real time inventory and shipment dashboard.  Companies interested in securing warehouse space should call 866-300-5580. 

“The Port of Charleston leads in delivering high-performance, low-risk and cost-effective port solutions,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority. “We join the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Berkeley County in welcoming Regal's expansion of operations in Charleston.  Port business - as well as jobs and investment - will continue to grow as new port-dependent uses locate in this area and across South Carolina.”

The Port of Charleston is the deepest port in the Southeast and one of the busiest ports among ports located in the Southeast and Gulf coasts. The Charleston Customs district ranks as the nation’s eighth largest in dollar value of international shipments, with more than $62 billion in cargo annually. South Carolina boasts more than 470 warehousing and distribution centers across the state, and these centers employ more than 34,000 individuals in the state.

Regal Logistics will begin hiring for warehousing and administrative positions next year, with an average wage range from $11 to $18 per hour. Qualified candidates should email their resumes to HR@regallogistics.com.

Powered by more than 40 years of experience as a leading third party logistics provider, Regal Logistics specializes in high volume, mass retailer distribution. It offers a comprehensive program of dedicated and shared warehousing, distribution and transportation services?including import deconsolidation and cross docking?and value added, reverse logistics and product recall services.  With more than 1.3 million square feet of high velocity Distribution Center in the Pacific Northwest and the U.S. Southeast, Regal Logistics offers a superior way to accelerate product to market, while reducing costs, with better access to important markets throughout the world.  Regal distributes customer product to major retailers including Walmart, for which Regal is an authorized trailer pool facility, Target, Kmart/Sears, JCPenney, Kohl’s and Toys“R”Us. For more information about the company, please visit www.regallogistics.com.

"Both of these recipients represent eclectic careers in international trade and transport, embracing several modes. Both Connie events were very special dinners honoring CII's half-century anniversary of providing education, information and networking to every sector involved in our business," said Allen Clifford, CII President.

The Newark Club event was in addition to the Connie Awards on September 30 presented in Long Beach, Calif., honoring Ronald Widdows and Jon Hemingway. The recipients were honored for their significant influence in containerization in worldwide trade and transportation, according to Mr. Clifford.

A special Founders Award was also presented to the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL), recognizing that the founding organizations of CII were the then-fledgling container leasing companies. Steven Blust, IICL President, and Warren Serenbetz, a founding member a half-century ago, accepted the award.

Fifteen students from four New York and New Jersey-based colleges were also presented with a total of more than $90,000 in scholarships donated by industry businesses committed to ensuring the success in the future of logistics and supply chain management.

In accepting his award, Mr. Bruner noted: "Globalization and global commerce is driving the world economy today; however, our industry needs to do a better job educating the stakeholders, especially the consumer on the value that our industry creates. Because the system that was created five decades ago is so efficient, most of the consumers have little understanding how important our industry is to the health of the U.S. economy."  He added, "I believe that organizations such as the Containerization & Intermodal Institute play an important role in this."

Russ Bruner was appointed Chairman, Maersk Inc., the world's largest container carrier, in January 2010. He was named Executive Vice President of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group in 2006 and assumed the position of President & CEO, Maersk Inc. in September 2004. In June of 2001, Mr. Bruner was named Senior Vice President of Maersk Inc. responsible for managing Maersk's liner services to and from North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Mr. Bruner joined Maersk Inc. in 1989.

Jim Newsome said in his acceptance remarks: "Container shipping is an amazing industry. From a humble start in 1956, it has grown to be the backbone of world trade, with the movement of over 150 million TEUs of cargo today. Shipping was a global business long before it was fashionable to brag about being a global business." He continued, "There would be no globalization, no off-shoring of manufacturing, and no economic progress without it. We should all remember this--- it is an absolutely strategic industry, which we all too often approach way too tactically."

Jim Newsome became President and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority in September 2009. He was previously President of Hapag-Lloyd (America), Inc., which is part of the world's fifth-largest ocean shipping company, where he was responsible for all activities in North America and Latin America. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Area Southeast, based in Atlanta, Ga., for 12 years. Prior to joining Hapag-Lloyd in 1997, Mr. Newsome was with Nedlloyd Lines from 1987 to 1997. He was Executive Vice President of the Americas for Nedlloyd Lines and President of Nedlloyd Lines (USA) Corporation.

Charleston, SC - The Port of Charleston celebrated another deepwater milestone today, welcoming the 300th post-Panamax ship to call the port.

Charleston, SC - Two of the top credit reporting agencies have affirmed the South Carolina State Ports Authority's (SCSPA) solid financial position, citing strong financial management, high debt service coverage and competitive advantages relative to other ports in the region.

The ratings come as the SCSPA issues $165 million in new revenue bonds to fund several major projects included in its 10-year, $1.3-billion capital plan. This is the first bond issue for the organization in nearly 12 years.

"The Ports Authority's core mission as an economic driver for the state involves being financially self-sufficient," said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SCSPA. "These ratings reaffirm that the financial industry has faith in the success of South Carolina's ports over the long term."

Standard & Poor's has assigned its A+ long-term underlying rating with a stable outlook on the SCSPA's series 2010 bonds while it affirmed the A+ rating on the SCSPA's existing series 1998 bonds. Specifically, the rating agency referenced the SCSPA's well-balanced cargo flow between imports and exports, diversity among its customers and solid regional position.

Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A1 rating with a stable outlook to the SCSPA's series 2010 bond issue and affirmed the A1 rating on outstanding series 1988 revenue bonds. Moody's cited the SCSPA's low debt levels and distinct competitive advantages, including Charleston's deep water, which makes the port well-positioned after the Panama Canal expansion is completed in 2014.

The SCSPA is issuing the new series of revenue bonds to fund nearly $78 million in new projects - including a new terminal operating system, new cruise terminal and major improvements to Columbus Street Terminal. The bonds also will reimburse the SCSPA $86 million in capital expenditures. The SCSPA plans to close on the bond issue in early December.

Port revenue bonds and the interest payable on them are an obligation of the SCSPA - not the state of South Carolina or taxpayers.

For more information on the permit, please visit SCDOT’s oversize/overweight permit office online.

Press Release from the South Carolina Department of Transportation:

Pilot program to permit heavier containers expanded and made permanent, improving competitiveness, enhancing efficiency and benefiting South Carolina industries.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), working with the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA), has announced all international shipping containers with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) up to 100,000 pounds are eligible for permitting for transporting by truck in South Carolina. This new policy is effective on Monday, November 1, 2010.

The previous overweight permit allowed up to 90,000 pounds GVW for shipping containers. The new permit allowing the weight increase will improve the state’s competitiveness, enhance transportation efficiency and serve a number of key South Carolina industries. The decision was based on the results of a pilot program launched earlier in 2010 that allowed refrigerated containers up to 100,000 pounds to be permitted and shipped by truck. The pilot program was undertaken because neighboring states offered a greater permitting capability.

Transportation Secretary H.B. Limehouse Jr. said this decision is important to the economy of South Carolina. “Part of our job at SCDOT is to support economic development. Our highways, ports and rail systems are the infrastructure for economic development. We all work together to make South Carolina as competitive as we can in global markets,” said Limehouse.

SCSPA President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Newsome, reacting to the upgraded permitting decision said, “This is an extremely important development for our export cargo base, which has long been at a disadvantage. Secretary Limehouse and SCDOT have shown great leadership and foresight by improving our competitive capability in world markets,” said Newsome.

Business sectors benefiting from the new permit include those that export heavy products, such as forestry and agricultural industries. The expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014 will allow even larger cargo ships capable of carrying more than 8,000 containers to move goods from Asia to the Eastern seaboard of the United States. The upgraded container weight policy in South Carolina will put the Port of Charleston in a better position to compete for the significant increase in cargo moving through the Southeast.

Charleston, SC - A new joint shipping service with coverage across North Europe and Mexico made its first U.S. stop in Charleston today with the call of the Box Voyager.

French carrier CMA CGM, in partnership with Chile-based CSAV, has launched its upgraded New Victory Bridge service, deploying five vessels of 3,000-TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) capacity on the weekly service.

The New Victory Bridge service, known to CSAV clients as the South Atlantic U.S. - Mexico Express (SAMEX) Service, boasts the shortest transit time between North Europe and the U.S. South Atlantic. Charleston is the first U.S. port inbound, providing South Carolina-based shippers access to key North Europe markets.

Foreign ports in the rotation include Le Havre, France; Antwerp, Belgium; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Bremerhaven, Germany; and Veracruz and Altamira, Mexico. The service calls the Wando Welch Terminal.

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.

Charleston, SC - The Port of Charleston posted its best quarter for container shipments since 2008, the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) reported at its regular monthly board meeting today.

Charleston container volume for July through September totaled 352,295 TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units), up 18 percent from the same period last year (299,531 TEUs), slightly above the previous quarter (351,923 TEUs) and ahead of plan by 5 percent.

Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SCSPA, noted that two new Asia shipping services began in Charleston earlier this year, and a number of specific cargo development initiatives are paying dividends.

“Charleston’s back on track and this growth is very encouraging,” said Newsome. “Refrigerated cargo and agricultural products have shown solid growth, and Charleston’s reach is expanding. More than 20,000 companies across the U.S. now rely on the Port of Charleston to access overseas markets.”

Several major industry expansions in the state will generate new port business in the coming months, including BMW’s newest X3 assembly line and TBC/Tire Kingdom’s new 1.1 million square foot distribution center near the port. According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the state led the Southeast in job creation last year with more than 18,000 new jobs.

Meanwhile, Newsome said attention will continue to be placed on consumer spending, employment and capital investment here. “U.S. indicators are somewhat trailing the Asian economies, particularly China, which is posting considerably stronger growth, perhaps pointing to a de-coupling of these markets. We’re approaching the end of double-digit increases, but the longer-term outlook for this region and Charleston is very bright.”

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.