CHARLESTON, SC — MARCH 20, 2025 — New ocean carrier deployments will increase the Port of Charleston’s coverage from 25 to 29 weekly services, with SC Ports offering more options than ever within the thriving U.S. Southeast market.
SC Ports offers first in-calls from key markets in Asia and Europe, enabling imports and exports to swiftly flow between the U.S. Southeast and international markets.
“The Port of Charleston serves as a powerful gateway for importers and exporters,” SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said. “Our highly productive operations deliver sustained fluidity to quickly work ships. We provide reliable port service so our customers can focus on running and growing their businesses.”
Two of the 29 weekly services are first-in-calls from Asia — Maersk/Hapag-Lloyd's TP11/US1 and MSC/ZIM’s Emerald/ZXB — with the latter offering the fastest transit from Vietnam to the South Atlantic.
Three first-in-calls from Europe — representing all major ocean carriers in the trade — support manufacturers’ supply chains for this key Charleston trade lane.
Beginning in April, SC Ports will also offer a new direct service with Turkey and Israel. MSC’s EMUSA service will provide a direct connection to Charleston for this key Eastern Mediterranean market.
These critical connections between Charleston and global markets are supported by SC Ports’ highly productive operations and deepwater port.
At 52 feet, Charleston has the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast. Ships can call on port terminals any time with no tidal restrictions, and widened turning basins allow for dual ship access simultaneously. These advantages enable ships to quickly and seamlessly access Charleston terminals, expediting logistics for shippers.
February volumes
The SC Ports team and maritime community handed 225,532 TEUs in February, up 11%, and 123,611 pier containers, up 10% as compared to February 2024. This growth was largely driven by an influx of imports, reflecting a stronger month after more tempered monthly container volumes.
Inland Ports in Greer and Dillon also performed well last month. Inland Port Greer handled 18,669 rail moves, up 18% from last year, marking the second highest month in its history. Inland Port Dillon had 3,412 rail moves, down 18% from last year, but trending upward since December.
The Port handled 11,273 vehicles in February, down 28% year-over-year. Automotive remains a strong sector for SC Ports overall, with long-term growth anticipated as new investments flow into South Carolina.
“South Carolina ranks No. 5 in the nation for both population and GDP growth. This will continue to drive imports and exports to our port,” Melvin said. “The Southeast is booming, and we are ready to support this growing market with 10 million TEUs of capacity on the horizon and an expanded intermodal network.”