Charleston Regional Development Alliance

Berkeley, Charleston & Dorchester Counties

Printed from www.crda.org

The Port of Charleston

The Charleston region has a business-friendly climate and strong infrastructure to support your needs. Only the Port of Charleston has the deepest harbor in the South Atlantic, with short transit times and efficient market access to the growing Southeast. This deepwater Port efficiently handles fully-loaded Post-Panamax vessels, specialized non-container services, and reaches 91 major metropolitan areas within 500 miles.

Cited by customers as the most productive container port in the world, and ranked first in customer satisfaction across North America by readers of World Trade and Cargo Business News magazines, the Port of Charleston is a powerful magnet for manufacturing and distribution companies.

  • Most productive container port in the U.S, providing access to 18 of the top 20 ocean carriers in the U.S. container trade
  • Currently the only port in the Southeastern U.S. efficiently handling fully-loaded post-Panamax vessels 8,000-9,000 TEU and larger. Post-Panamax ships visit the Charleston Port regularly and a next-generation harbor deepening project is underway in preparation for the Panama Canal's expansion in 2014
  • Eighth largest U.S. container port by cargo value - more than $50 billion in goods move through the Port annually
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Port OverviewEfficiency & ProductivityTechnologyGlobal Connectivity

The Port of Charleston

  • A key economic engine for South Carolina, nearly $12 billion in wages and more than 260,000 jobs are related to the Port
  • Serves more than 150 countries worldwide
  • Offers dual rail access and multiple Interstate connections
  • Construction underway for a new three-berth, 280-acre container deepwater terminal - the only new, permitted port facility under construction on the U.S. East Coast
  • Distribution centers - 20 million+ square feet of prime industrial space in development near I-95 (30 miles from Port)


To view port terminal locations, visit our Map Center or Intermodal Transportation page. [an error occurred while processing this directive]

Port Efficiency & Productivity

  • Cited by clients as the most productive container port in North America. Average truck turn time is 22 minutes
  • Working container ships - an average 41 moves per hour per crane (60% more efficient than West Coast ports)
  • Efficiently integrated rail and highway inland delivery systems providing fast access to the dynamic Southeastern U.S. population and manufacturing centers
  • On-dock and near-dock rail. Charleston is served by both CSX and Norfolk Southern class one rail carriers offering intermodal, boxcar, and hopper services
  • Four multi-purpose, rail-served facilities and access to a Charleston-based heavy lift barge crane (load capacity of 1 million pounds)
  • Dedicated non-container facilities handling specialized heavy lift, roll-on/roll-off, break-bulk and project cargo


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Port Technology

  • A $17-million new terminal operating system is scheduled to come online beginning in 2012
  • Today, the Port uses the ORION computer system to expedite the cargo clearance process (most cleared up to three days prior to arrival)
  • Yard Management System provides up-to-date information on cargo shipments and more effectively makes use of the port's container yards
  • Security Technology
    • Radiation Portal Monitors scan 100% of containers leaving the terminal
    • VACIS machines screen targeted cargo on-site
    • The new OmniView Gantry X-ray Inspection System - the only one of its kind in use for commercial screening at ports - provides further screening capabilities for port security officials

Geography & Trade Routes - Global Connectivity

  • Charleston Port's terminals are closer to the open sea than any competing port by a significant margin
  • Northern Europe and Asia are the Port's top markets, combining for 53% of total volume, but more than 150 countries in all are served directly from the Port's docks
  • The Port of Charleston offers highway and rail access to the Southeastern U.S. as well as the Midwest and even Western states via reverse land-bridge rail services
  • Charleston is served by both CSX and Norfolk Southern class one rail carriers offering intermodal, boxcar, and hopper services
  • Interstate 26 is the primary highway artery serving the Port and it directly connects to I-95, I-20, I-77, and I-85

Percentage of Total Volume

North Europe 33.0%
Northeast Asia 20.0%
India & Other Asia 11.0%
Mediterranean 7.1%
South America East 6.5%
South America West 4.2%
Africa 4.1%
Central America 3.6%
Middle East 3.5%
Southeast Asia 3.0%
East Europe 2.9%
Caribbean 0.5%
Oceania 0.5%
Canada 0.1
Source: South Carolina State Ports Authority, 5/2010