Some 15 ship-to-shore (STS) cranes are now in operation at SC Ports’s Wando Welch Terminal at the Port of Charleston.
The final crane was recently moved into position along the waterfront as part of expansion works, SC Ports wrote.
With five cranes to a berth, Wando Welch Terminal can more effectively work three 14,000-TEU vessels simultaneously.
The new ship-to-shore cranes have 155 feet of lift height and the ability to reach out over 22 containers to work the biggest ships calling the East Coast.
The cranes are a part of SC Ports’s $500 million investment to modernise Wando Welch Terminal.
The multi-year project enhanced capacity and operations with new container-handling equipment, a modernised container yard and refrigerated cargo yard, improved traffic patterns and IT systems, a strengthened wharf, and an on-terminal transload facility for mega retailers.
SC Ports has also extended Sunday gate hours for motor carriers through at least peak season, given berth priority to vessels taking out more cargo, significantly improved rail dray dwell times to around 36 hours, hired more than 150 people in operations to handle the influx of cargo, and launched a port-owned and port-operated chassis pool.
There have been no vessels waiting since early May, though supply chain challenges continue along the East Coast.
SC Ports handled 216,097 TEU and 119,872 pier containers at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Leatherman Terminal in July.
SC Ports moved 21,034 vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal in July, a 36 per cent increase year-over-year. Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon reported combined 11,383 rail moves in July.
