The India-U.S. direct service, called?Indamex, is operated jointly with Contship Container Lines and CMA-CGM on a weekly, fixed-day basis.
The new port rotation is Tuticorin, Nhava Sheva, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Port Said, Colombo and Tuticorin.
Inclusion of Tuticorin will not affect either the schedule or transit time of the service, the consortium said. The consortium launched the Indamex service in March 2000, upgrading it to a weekly service in June 2001.
20-foot container units in 2000.
In two-way trade between Eastern
Europe and the U.S., Charleston ranks second only to the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey with more than 26,000 20-foot
container units in 2000.
Trade between the U.S. and Eastern
Europe through the Port of Charleston rose 25% in 2000 and has
grown eight-fold since 1991.
The members of the East Coast United States/East Coast South America Vessel Sharing Agreement have realigned their three loops into two, both calling the Port of Charleston.
The move allows for the replacement of 11 smaller ships with six new 3,800-TEU ships.
Members of the "ECUS/ECSA VSA" are:
The revised port rotations for the proposed services are:
The Ports Authority has successfully lured a Lykes Lines shipping service from Savannah to Charleston, meaning 26 ships a year and increased business on the growing trade route.
The service uses five identical multipurpose ships that can carry breakbulk, bulk and container traffic, including refrigerated cargo, as well as automobiles, trucks and other rolling stock.
"This investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to our customers on the South Africa-North America trade," says Morten Veflingstad, vice president of commercial, multi-purpose services for Lykes Lines. In North America, the East Coast Loop also calls at Montreal and Philadelphia, as well as Hamilton and Toronto between April and December. Lykes also operates a Gulf Loop from New Orleans, Houston, Mexico and South America to Africa.
Charleston is the last port called before ships cross the Atlantic Ocean, meaning a shorter trip to market for exporters. Transit times from Charleston are as short as 13 days to Dakar, 27 days to Cape Town and 30 days to Durban.
South Carolina?s premier port in Charleston provides manufacturers with virtually unlimited choices for exploring new markets across the earth.
The numbers on waterborne commerce in South Carolina are staggering - $33 billion in goods annually; 700 importers and exporters from every county; 83,000 employees; 1.6 million containers a year; and seven ships every day.
But behind the numbers, facts and statistics lies the real story of what a successful competitive port system means to South Carolina - market access. Today, manufacturers ship by ocean from Charleston to more than 150 nations around the world. From Argentina to Zimbabwe, if you have a customer or supplier there, you can reach them directly from South Carolina?s coast.
Only a short drive or train trip separates any site in South Carolina from the rest of the world. The value of proximity to markets is especially important in today?s environment when almost every business is global in nature. The South Carolina State Ports Authority?s mission is to help companies take advantage of the many prospects that exist across the oceans.
In its most recent fiscal year completed June 30, the Ports Authority?s marine terminal facilities in the Port of Charleston handled a record 1.6 million 20-foot long container units. This places Charleston fourth nationally, behind only the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and New York/New Jersey. The Ports Authority also posted record revenues and earnings.
The success of the Port of Charleston is somewhat understood, but nonetheless is too often taken for granted. It was the eighth consecutive record year for the Port?of Charleston and one that was filled with great business success, yet also rife with high profile conflict and controversy.
On one hand, the world?s largest ocean carrier named the Port of Charleston as the most productive seaport in the Western Hemisphere and second only to Hong Kong?globally. On the other hand, a port opponent in the General Assembly proposed binding the Ports Authority with new procurement restrictions.
On one hand, the Ports Authority became the first seaport on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast?to feature service from each of the world?s ten largest ocean carriers. On the other, the Ports Authority responded to local opposition and withdrew its original application for port expansion on Daniel Island.
To meet the needs of manufacturers while addressing local quality of life concerns, a compromise has emerged for a much smaller port expansion project on the Cooper River side of Daniel Island. Private sector investment has been invited and proposals are due September 7. From the subsequent negotiations, a new project can be defined.
Approval from the General Assembly is also required, as well as permitting approval by various state and federal agencies. Considering the fact that only moderate growth will saturate port capacity by 2006 to 2008, time is certainly of the essence.
In the interim, the Ports Authority continues to seek new and better ways of using its existing facilities.?In the next 12 months, capital improvements will total more than $45 million. Considering Charleston is already three times as productive as the average U.S. port when it comes to land utilization, the intensity of space use is approaching the maximum sustainable levels.
Also important is the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. It is ahead of schedule and is below budget due in large part to the support of the S.C. Chamber, but there remains $25 million in state funding that is required.
Many say that advances in communications and transportation over the past several decades have served to shrink the globe and make it smaller. While it is certainly true that ideas and products flow quicker than ever before, these same advances show us just how much opportunity still remains untapped.
Isolationists today falsely attempt to paint international trade as a vicious cycle founded on cheap labor and resulting in pollution, lost jobs and hurt families. The fact is that our world offers endless prospects for individuals to make their own way, building better lives for them and their families. The Ports Authority is capable of serving this pursuit, but requires the support of manufacturers across South Carolina.
The magazine has been renamed PortCharleston in an effort to communicate and brand the Port in a meaningful way for its clients. PortCharleston is currently distributed to more than 9,000 subscribers in 50 countries around the world.
The publication will continue to deliver valuable information as well as entertaining profiles and features, with additional content provided in its Web version, PortCharleston Online –https://scspa.com/portcharleston/default_portnews.asp.
The editorial focus in both print and online versions will include information and features from the local business community and the industry at large.
Over 54 years, Port News won numerous awards of excellence from the American Association of Port Authorities and several ADDY awards from the local Advertising Federation.
As part of the redesign, former editor Marion Bull moves to the publisher position and Shelia Watson takes over as editor. Marvin Preston remains in charge of photography and digital imaging.
For editorial content, advertising or comments, please contact Shelia Watson at 843-577-8161 or swatson@scspa.com.
If you would like to subscribe to PortCharleston, or you have a change to an existing subscription, please contact subscriber services:
Trade potential on the Indian sub-continent
has led Safmarine to step up its services.
In a recent 12-month period, Charleston
handled more than 413,000 TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units)
of agricultural products, or more than 47 TEUs every hour of every
day for a year.
Agricultural products generally fall
into the following cargo groups—Fiber & Tow, Foodstuffs,
Logs & Lumber, Paper Products & Woodpulp.
After more than 1,500 suggestions from 65 schools and months of anticipation, the South Carolina State Ports Authority and the South Carolina Aquarium announced the winners of their "Name the Crane" contest on Wednesday, June 27.
The cranes on the dock at Columbus Street Terminal have become quite a hit with visitors to the Aquarium, which offers close-up views of port operations.
With the help of the Ports Authority Maintenance Department, the winners climbed ladders and peeled off stickers unveiling their winning names. The names will remain on the base of the port’s most expensive hardware. The massive cranes, which are used to lift shipping containers on and off of vessels, cost $6 million each.
The lucky winners were children who participated in the Aquarium’s 2000-2001 Structured School Program. Students were asked to observe the cranes and see how they look and work. Each student earned $25 and tickets to the Aquarium, while each school received $100 for their science programs.
Winning Entries:
Charleston moves more than 100,000 tons of wine and spirits annually between the U.S. and 58 countries around the world. The breadth and depth of volume in the trade reflects Charleston's diverse steamship service profile, which features each of the world's ten largest container carriers.
In the first four months of this year, Charleston handled 2,800 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) loaded with wine and spirits, compared to 2,500 TEUs last year. While imports remained constant between January and April, rising only 3%, exports jumped 42% as a result of outbound whiskey increases to the U.K., Germany, France and Belgium.
The wine and spirits trade is an import-dominated trade in Charleston, with nearly a third of all volume being imported still wines from Italy, Chile and France. Other top inbound cargoes are whiskey, gin, vodka and cordials. Over the past three years, Charleston has seen imported wine and spirits decline slightly from its high in 1998. Meanwhile, exports have increased substantially on stronger whiskey shipments.
In a recent 12-month period, U.S. whiskeys and bourbons were shipped to more than 40 countries around the world from Charleston. Reflecting this global reach, the Kentucky Distillers' Association has a foreign language web site and lists upcoming international trade shows.
CHARLESTON'S TOP WINE & SPIRITS IMPORTS
Still Wines - Italy
Still Wines - Chile
Whiskey & Rum - U.K.
Still Wines - France
Vodka - Sweden
TOP WHISKEY MARKETS THROUGH CHARLESTON
U.K.
Germany
Belgium
France
Spain