South Carolina Ports (SC Ports) has made a strong start to fiscal year 2022 with its highest July on record for containers moving through the Port of Charleston.
SC Ports handled a record-setting 244,821 TEU in July 2021 at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal; it is a 38% year-on-year (YoY) increase.
SC Ports moved 137,158 pier containers, which accounts for boxes of any size, in July.
These impressive volumes mark the second highest all-time monthly record for containers handled at the Port of Charleston. Loaded imports also set an all-time record in July, with a 47% increase year-over-year, as retail continues to boom. Loaded exports were up 14%.
Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon handled a combined 13,976 rail moves.
SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome commented, “We begin our fiscal year 2022 with record container volumes, which comes on the heels of moving more containers than ever before in fiscal year 2021.
“While import and export loaded containers are both growth segments, the widening disparity of imports over exports is continued evidence of the strength of the U.S. consumer.
“As the only port in the country with new terminal capacity, SC Ports has the ability to handle the growing cargo volumes and rising retail imports.”
Phase One of Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal began operations in March, marking the first greenfield container terminal to open in the US since 2009.
Leatherman Terminal adds a 1,400-foot berth and 700,000 TEU of capacity to the Port of Charleston.
SC Ports also kicked off an expansion at Inland Port Greer, further enhanced Wando Welch Terminal, and saw significant progress with the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project, which will yield 52 feet of depth in 2022.