New shipping service to connect Charleston, northeast Asia

An ocean carrier alliance will begin a weekly container service that will connect the Port of Charleston to China and South Korea, the S.C. State Ports Authority announced today.

The service is new for the alliance, CKYH, which includes carriers COSCO, K-Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin. Charleston is the last U.S. port call on the service.

“Exporters from this area are finding additional trade opportunities in Asia, and we have been heavily marketing the Port of Charleston for more shipping services in that trade lane,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the ports authority, in a news release. “Our state not only has goods that are attractive to overseas markets, but we are also ideally positioned to serve a broad import base across several states in the region.”

The carriers will send nine ships for the service, adding 52 ship calls each year at the North Charleston Terminal. The first Charleston call is expected in June.