South Carolina Ports’ Leatherman Terminal was recognised as one of the top eight engineering projects in the country.
The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) recognised Leatherman Terminal as a 2023 Grand Award Winner and as a finalist for the 2023 Grand Conceptor Award, which signifies the year’s best overall engineering achievement.
“The SC Ports’ engineering team is proud to receive this prestigious recognition from the American Council of Engineering Companies,” said Walter Lagarenne, SC Ports’ Vice President of Engineering and Facilities.
“Hundreds of people from every engineering discipline worked together on the site every day to build this container terminal.
“It was the best project coordination I’ve seen in my nearly 40-year career,” Lagarenne added.
The Leatherman Terminal opened in April 2021, marking the first new greenfield container terminal to open in the US since 2009.
The SC Ports’ engineering team worked with many contractors, including HDR Inc., Banks Construction Co., Samet Corp., Cape Romain/McLean A Joint Venture, and Cape Romain Contractors Inc.
The $1 billion project was finished on time and under budget.
READ: SC Ports receives $550 million in critical port infrastructure projects
Situated along the Cooper River in North Charleston, Leatherman Terminal’s 169-foot-tall Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes can be seen throughout the Charleston region.
The terminal was designed with sustainability in mind. It boasts five electric STS cranes and 25 hybrid Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes to significantly reduce emissions.
Phase One of Leatherman Terminal can handle 700,000 TEU of cargo and a 20,000 TEU vessel. At full buildout, the terminal will have three berths capable of handling 2.4 million TEU of cargo.
READ: SC Ports sees downturn in container volumes
“South Carolina Ports invests in port infrastructure to support South Carolina’s businesses, and our amazing engineering team brings these projects to life,” SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said.
“Congratulations to the team for this great success. Leatherman Terminal will support Southeast supply chains for years to come,” Melvin added.
