Category: Announcements

North Charleston, SC - The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SPA) today joined community leaders near the site of the new Navy Base Terminal to announce the second installment in a ground-breaking $4-million community mitigation project.

In a ceremony at Gethsemani Community Center in the Union Heights neighborhood, SPA President & CEO Bernard S. Groseclose Jr. presented a $300,000 check to North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. Last year, the SPA presented $750,000 in first-year funding and is contributing $300,000 annually to the community through 2013.

The SPA is providing the funds in partnership with the City of North Charleston and the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC), a group of seven neighborhoods near the terminal site.

LAMC worked with the SPA over several months to ensure that the new container terminal will have the greatest positive impact on the surrounding area. The resulting Community Mitigation Agreement calls for the SPA to fund $4.08 million in community, neighborhood and economic development projects such as scholarships, affordable housing and revitalization plans.

"LAMC's partnership with the Ports Authority means great things for our community," said North Charleston City Councilman Michael Brown, who serves as president of LAMC. "For example, we were able to provide educational opportunities for our residents, with thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded just last month. We will soon begin work on a comprehensive community plan that will serve as a roadmap for revitalizing and strengthening our neighborhoods."

While virtually all major port development projects include traditional 'green' mitigation for wetlands and other impacts, this is one of the first port expansion projects that included both community and environmental programming as part of the formal mitigation plan.

Specific priorities in the Community Mitigation Plan include:

The community mitigation is part of a larger $12-million mitigation program to offset direct and indirect impacts of the SPA's new container terminal at the former Navy Base. To learn more about the SPA's environmental initiative, please visit www.pledgeforgrowth.com.

Charleston, SC - Thousands of workers in the Port of Charleston now must show a new mandatory federal identification card at the terminal gates, and so far the implementation process is going smoothly.

Starting today, federal law requires that all truck drivers, port employees, longshoremen and others working on the South Carolina State Ports Authority's (SCSPA) facilities have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC. Only a small percentage of workers have shown up without the new mandatory ID card.

"Cargo is flowing smoothly and there were no major issues with implementation," said Bernard Groseclose, president and CEO of the SCSPA. "The trucking community, the private maritime sector and labor all contributed to a successful launch of TWIC in Charleston."

The SCSPA worked collaboratively with U.S. Coast Guard-Sector Charleston to actively promote the new program and educate the maritime community through speaking engagements, media attention, signage at the gates and direct mail and e-mail.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 8,192 workers have enrolled in Charleston, and 5,373 cards have been activated. Over the past five months, enrollment among local truck drivers nearly quadrupled, from 841 in mid-July to 3,129 in mid-November.

The Charleston TWIC enrollment center opened more than a year ago. The temporary location is at the Residence Inn, 5035 International Blvd. in North Charleston.

The TWIC is required by federal law and will serve as an identification card for all personnel requiring unescorted access to secure areas of regulated marine terminals. The fingerprint-based ID card costs $132.50 and is valid for five years. To obtain a TWIC, applicants must successfully pass a security threat assessment conducted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

In July, the U.S. Coast Guard announced an implementation deadline of December 1 for the Port of Charleston. Today, the Coast Guard began enforcement of the TWIC for certain port facilities in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

For more information on TWIC, visit http://www.tsa.gov/twic.

Charleston, SC - Container volume at the Port of Charleston increased 6% in October, despite broader economic challenges.

In October, the Port of Charleston's three container facilities handled 146,878 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of nearly 6% from the same month last year and a gain of more than 16% from the previous month.

"Given the volume trends both here and across the country, it's somewhat of a pleasant surprise," said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., president and CEO of the S.C. State Ports Authority (SCSPA), following Tuesday's Board meeting. "We certainly wish this were a trend, but based on what our customers are telling us, it's more likely an aberration."

Loaded import container volume was up 4% from the same month last year and up 17% from the previous month. Loaded exports declined slightly, dropping 1% from October 2007 and falling 3% from the previous month.

Breakbulk tons also rallied in October, with 114,359 tons of cargo moved at the SCSPA's facilities in Charleston and Georgetown. This represents a 47% gain over the same month in 2007.

Endangered North Atlantic right whales migrate to the Southeastern U.S. coast to give birth to their calves. This region is the only known calving ground for the species and has been designated as a critical habitat for right whales. During the project permitting process for the new container terminal in North Charleston, collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the SCSPA resulted in increased efforts to protect right whales along the South Carolina coast. Through its agreement, the SCSPA pledged up to $200,000 per year for five years to Wildlife Trust.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with Wildlife Trust as part of our overall commitment to protecting the environment," said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., SCSPA president and CEO. "Through our Pledge for Growth, we believe that the success of the port can mean great things for both the economy and our environment," said Groseclose, referring to the more than $12 million in community and environmental projects planned or under way in conjunction with the new terminal development.

The purpose of monitoring right whales through aerial surveys is two-fold: aerial surveys provide vital information to wildlife managers on right whale calving distribution and the location of these slow-moving animals. The largest threats to the right whale population are human-related, including ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Wildlife Trust works to minimize the risk to these animals by locating right whales during daily aerial surveys from November through April and reporting locations to military and commercial shipping traffic to mitigate potential ship strikes. The SCSPA-funded survey area spans from Cape Romain, SC to Fripp Island, SC.

"With fewer than 400 right whales remaining in the population every whale is vital to the survival of this critically endangered species," said Dr. Mary C. Pearl, president of Wildlife Trust.

Aerial flights are conducted three to four days a week during the best weather conditions. In the previous season funded by the SCSPA, which began in January of this year and concluded in mid-April, the survey team logged six sightings with a total of 16 whales spotted.

About Wildlife Trust

Wildlife Trust empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health. Wildlife Trust is a conservation science innovator and leverages research expertise through strategic global alliances. Wildlife Trust pioneered the field of Conservation Medicine, a new discipline that addresses the link between ecological disruption of habitats and the effects on wildlife, livestock and human health.

Founded in 1971 by British naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, Wildlife Trust has built its reputation on 35 years of global research, education, training and experience. Work in the United States includes research, conservation, and training programs in the metropolitan New York area, Florida and along the coast of the Southeastern U.S.

Internationally, Wildlife Trust trains and supports a network of scientists around the world to save endangered species and their habitats and to protect the health of vital ecosystems. Wildlife Trust created the first egalitarian international network of science-based conservation organizations, the Wildlife Trust Alliance, and is a founding partner organization of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, a unique collaboration between Wildlife Trust and prestigious academic institutions around the world. To learn more please go to http://www.wildlifetrust.org.

About The South Carolina State Ports Authority

The South Carolina State Ports Authority, established in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston and Georgetown, handling international commerce valued at more than $60 billion annually.

Charleston, SC - The Port of Charleston's reach to South American trading partners will increase next year, as Chilean carrier CSAV Group brings on additional capacity on its weekly USATLAN service.

Beginning in the third quarter of 2009, CSAV will replace vessels able to accommodate 2,500 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) with 3,500-TEU ships. The move is part of upgrades to five of CSAV's services covering the East Coast of South America.

"We wish to continue offering our customers reliable service and better options," said Felipe Olavarria, senior vice president of South American trades at CSAV's New York office. "The upgraded service coupled with Charleston's high productivity is a win-win for our customer base."

"The East Coast of South America offers a steadily growing export opportunity for South Carolina businesses," said Fred Stribling, vice president of marketing and sales for the S.C. State Ports Authority. "Last year, exports in that trade lane increased 19%."

The USATLAN service calls the Wando Welch Terminal every seven days and connects Charleston with the East Coast South American ports of Puerto Cabello in Venezuela, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Salvador and Sao Francisco do Sul in Brazil. Other participating carriers on the service include Hanjin, Hamburg Sud, Alianca, Yang Ming, K Line and Libra.

In 2007, the South American trade lane accounted for 11% of Charleston's total container business.

Charleston, SC - Seaport operations in Charleston and Georgetown facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina and nearly $45 billion in economic activity annually, according to a new study released today by the S.C. State Ports Authority (SCSPA).

"The core of the Ports Authority's mission is to be an economic development engine for the state of South Carolina," said Bernard Groseclose, president and CEO of the SCSPA. "Port expansion is vital to continuing to grow the state's economy in the coming years."

Wilbur Smith Associates of Columbia, SC compiled the study, which measures actual economic output by port operations in Charleston and Georgetown and port users in all 46 counties during calendar year 2007.

"These findings show that the state's seaports have far-reaching impacts that extend well beyond the coast," said Wilbur Smith's Eric McClellan, senior economist and project manager for the study. "Clearly, the SCSPA is an integral component to the state's economy."

The study's key findings reveal that through direct port operations or the activities of port users, trade through the state's seaports facilitates:

Using port-industry data, surveys, and the IMPLAN econometric model, Wilbur Smith tabulated impacts for six regions in the state: Tri-County, Lowcountry, Pee Dee, Aiken, Midlands and Piedmont. SCSPA officials will be traveling across the state later this year to share the detailed impact results by region.

Currently, the SCSPA is moving forward on near- and long-term expansion projects in Charleston and along the Savannah River in Jasper County.

Next month, a new 25-acre yard will open at the Wando Welch Terminal, representing a 10% capacity increase for the terminal. The SCSPA is continuing with site preparation associated with a new, 280-acre terminal on the former Navy Base. The terminal is expected to open in 2014 and, at build out, will increase Charleston's total container capacity by 50%.

The SCSPA continues to work with the Georgia Ports Authority on the development of a bi-state facility along the Savannah River in Jasper County. Most recently, the two agencies purchased the 1,500-acre site and hired a project management firm.

The entire economic impact report is available online.

Charleston, SC - The Jasper Ocean Terminal Joint Project Office Board of Directors agreed today to retain program management services to develop feasibility studies, quantify capital needs and perform overall management for the Jasper Ocean Terminal.

In August, the Joint Project Office (JPO) Board authorized the solicitations of Requests for Qualification and Expressions of Interest for Program Management Services. Six qualified firms were asked to submit bids and two bids were received. Last month the completed bids were reviewed and today the JPO Board selected Moffatt & Nichol. As Project Manager, Moffatt & Nichol will, with the involvement of several other specialty disciplines, provide preliminary terminal planning, economic analyses, market studies, and dredged material management and conceptual infrastructure planning.

"The selection of a program manager by the Joint Project Office's Board of Directors is an important step toward meeting future shipping needs for this region," said Jim Balloun, Chairman, JPO.

Last January, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) and the South Carolina State Port Authority (SCSPA) signed an Intergovernmental Agreement for Development of a Jasper port to contract for, jointly own, manage and plan for the development of the Jasper Ocean Terminal. The agreement further provides that the GPA and SCSPA will jointly staff, equip, and operate a Jasper Ocean Terminal Joint Project Office.

One member of the six member JPO Board of Directors is appointed by each state's governor, two members are appointed by each port's board chairman from his board of directors. Additionally, a member of each Governor's staff and the executive director of the GPA and the president of the SCPA serve as ex officio, non-voting members. Current members of the JPO Board are as follows: James (Jim) S. Balloun, Board Chair (GA); William (Bill) Bethea, Jr. Board Vice Chair (SC); Steve Green (GA); Bernard (Bernie) S. Groseclose (SC); James (Jim) R. Lientz (GA); Doug J. Marchand (GA); Alex Poitevint (GA); David (Dave) J. Posek (SC); Bill Stern (SC); E. Brandon Gaskins(SC).

"We are excited about moving forward on a project that will help build the long-term viability of international trade in our region, create jobs and promote new economic opportunities," said Balloun.

In July, the GPA and the SCSPA completed the joint acquisition of 1,518 acres of land from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the development of the Jasper Ocean Terminal on the Savannah River in Jasper County.

"The first step for the program manager will be to focus on feasibility studies to support the release and relocation of the existing Corps of Engineers' easements currently located on the parcels of the Jasper Ocean Terminal study site" said Bill Bethea, JPO Board Vice-Chairman. "We will also continue the studies to establish the feasibility and cost of building a container terminal in Jasper County and begin preliminary planning for the Terminal Site itself" said Bill Bethea.

The original term sheet signed last year by both Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford provides that the JPO will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release existing spoil easements from the Jasper Terminal study site. As called for by Governors Perdue and Sanford last year, the JPO will concentrate on ways to use private capital in the construction of Jasper Ocean Terminal.

A new Web site, www.PortCharlestonDC.com, shows how Charleston's industrial space is set to double in the next six years. Hillwood, Trammel Crow, Johnson Development, Rockefeller Group, Pattillo Construction, Childress-Klein, Lauth and others have already launched major spec building projects.

One million square feet came on the market recently and has been absorbed. Developers are expected to bring three million square feet online in 2009.

The new Web portal provides project and contact details, as well as intelligence on the Port of Charleston's distribution and industrial market.

"Everyone is competing for access to the Southeast region," said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., president & CEO of the SCSPA. "Based on the tremendous investment we're seeing, the private sector has great confidence in Charleston's role as the gateway to the Southeast region. Charleston offers a powerful mix of new port capacity, the deepest channels and superior access to a growing Southeast market."

The South's population is projected to expand 43% by 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The region is a well-established industrial zone with significant production, considerable foreign direct investment and expanding consumption.

Driving the impressive push in private-sector investment is the Port of Charleston's unique combination of natural and operational advantages. Charleston offers the quickest and most reliable access to the I-85 corridor, which includes the commerce and trade hubs of Raleigh, Charlotte, Greenville/Spartanburg and Atlanta.

Distribution and international transportation are an important focus of the state's economic development strategy. The state offers incentives to encourage increased international trade, and recently, the S.C. Department of Commerce added a senior project manager to work on industrial investment and the recruitment of distribution and logistics centers.

Beyond the 20 million square feet in the Charleston market, several major projects are underway in close proximity to the port, including in the Orangeburg "Global Logistics Triangle" about 60 miles from Charleston. Projects in this area include Jafza USA's 1,300-acre site near the intersection of interstates 26 and 95.

The Port of Charleston can accommodate post-Panamax ships today, making it particularly well-positioned for trade following the expansion of the Panama Canal. In addition, construction of a new container terminal in Charleston Harbor is underway, which will boost port capacity by 50%.

"If you are an importer, exporter, 3PL, or site selection consultant, you need to know what's happening in Charleston," said Groseclose. "The level of commitment and investment is impressive, and we look forward to serving new cargo accounts through these projects."

"The new inventory, the first for any port in this region, will help us better understand both the sources and the scope of port-related air emissions," said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., the SCSPA's president & CEO. "This is just the latest action as the Ports Authority works to do its part to improve regional air quality."

The SCSPA chose to conduct the inventory as part of its voluntary cooperative agreement with the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) that was signed last year.

"The Ports Authority has stepped up to estimate its impacts and their actions have shown a commitment to continuous improvement," said Myra C. Reece, bureau chief for DHEC's Bureau of Air Quality. "This inventory supplements our air quality work in the Charleston area and can serve as a road map to future Port emissions initiatives."

Also, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday selected the SCSPA as one of seven recipients in the region to receive emissions reduction grant funds. The SCSPA, in partnership with three business groups, DHEC and the American Lung Association, applied for a two-year, $1.7-million project to reduce air impacts from on-road trucks and port container stacking equipment.

The air emissions inventory estimates the amount of air pollutants generated by activity through the Port of Charleston's public marine terminals in 2005 and provides useful information on air quality for the Port of Charleston's customers, environmental regulators and neighbors.

Moffatt & Nichol of Long Beach, Calif. Assembled the inventory, which covers emissions related to ships, trucks, trains, harbor craft and cargo handling equipment all the way from the sea buoy outside Charleston Harbor throughout the tri-county region.

"As better jobs come to the Charleston area through port development at the former Navy Base, the Ports Authority remains committed to protecting the environment and being a good neighbor," said Groseclose. "We've accomplished much to improve air quality over the past 18 months, and this inventory will help us to focus our future efforts."

Specifically, the new Baseline Air Emissions Inventory will:

The key finding, as expected, is that trucks and ships constitute the majority of each pollutant related to port operations.

Port-related emissions today are already lower than the report's findings. Since 2005, the SCSPA has taken on numerous projects to reduce port-related air emissions, including:

"Everyone has a role in our region's air quality," said Groseclose, "and we should all do our share to keep our air clean."

For the 2005 Port of Charleston Baseline Air Emissions Inventory and more information the SCSPA's air quality initiatives, visit the SCSPA's Pledge for Growth website: http://www.PledgeForGrowth.com.

###

The EPA has selected the SCSPA for a two-year, $1.7 million grant to reduce port-related air emissions by handling equipment and over-the-road trucks. The grant includes $735,000 in federal funding with $963,500 in matching funds.

Charleston, SC - The world's largest and most efficient car carrier is making its maiden call at the Port of Charleston's Union Pier Terminal today, representing additional ship calls and increased roll-on roll-off capacity for Charleston's customers.

The FEDORA, a Large Car Truck Carrier (LCTC) operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), was delivered earlier this year and sails in the EA/NA service between the U.S. East Coast and North Europe.

Charleston is now being featured as a weekly call in the service, providing much-needed capacity in the export trade from Charleston to North Europe. With the new service, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has seven vessel calls per month in Charleston.

"There is significant demand for export space from Charleston, so this new service is great news for existing customers and will allow us to pursue new cargo opportunities," said Fred N. Stribling, vice president of marketing and sales for the South Carolina State Ports Authority. "We have a strong and longstanding relationship with Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, so we are pleased to welcome this service to Charleston."

FEDORA has a capacity of 8,000 car equivalent units. Overseas ports of call include Bremerhaven (Germany), Gothenburg (Sweden), Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Southampton (UK). The FEDOREA will be followed next week by a visit from ANIARA, WWL's latest new build, which also has a capacity of 8,000 car equivalent units.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics won the Maritime Association of South Carolina's 2008 Environmental Stewardship Award, and the new ships have a number of environmental features. For more information about WWL and the vessels, please go to http://www.2wglobal.com.