Charleston Regional Development Alliance

Berkeley, Charleston & Dorchester Counties

Printed from www.crda.org

The Port of Charleston

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.
  • Eighth largest U.S. container ports by cargo value – over $62.4 billion in goods move through the port annually
  • Serves 40 steamship lines, including all top 20 carriers
  • Serves more than 150 countries worldwide
  • Only port in the Southeast that can efficiently handle post-Panamax vessels up to 8,000 TEU
  • Handles nearly 2 million TEUs annually
  • New three-berth, 280-acre container terminal scheduled to open in 2013
  • 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.
related information

Efficiency & ProductivityTechnologyGeography & Trade Routes

Port Efficiency & Productivity

  • Cited by clients as the most productive container port in North America. Average truck turn time is 21 minutes.
  • Working container ships at an average of 41 moves per hour per crane (60% more efficient than most West Coast ports).
  • Efficiently integrated rail and highway inland delivery systems providing fast access to the dynamic Southeast U.S. population and manufacturing centers.
  • On-dock and near-dock rail.
  • Dedicated non-container facilities handling specialized heavy lift, roll-on/roll-off, bulk, and traditional break-bulk cargo.


Port Technology

  • The Port uses the ORION computer system to expedite the cargo clearance process (most cleared up to three days prior to arrival).
  • The Port's Yard Management System provides up-to-date information on cargo shipments and more effectively makes use of the port's container yards.
  • Several kinds of security technology are in place at the Port of Charleston:
    • 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

  • Charleston's port 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.
  • Although shippers in two dozen states use Charleston to access international customers and suppliers, 45% of tonnage and about one-third of containers are related to South Carolina firms.

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