Port of Charleston sees box volume sink 6% in April

Many East Coast ports reported a decline in loaded container volumes during the month, reflecting the fact that the overall container trade is tepid, South Carolina Ports Authority CEO Jim Newsome explained.    Container volumes at the Port of Charleston fell 6 percent year-over-year in April to 157,959 TEUs. The port handled 631,753 TEUs through the first four months of the year, down 2 percent from the same period last year, according to South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA).
   “April loaded container volumes were slightly below last year, a trend we’re seeing consistently in the reported volumes across the major East Coast ports,” SCPA CEO Jim Newsome said. “This trend is reflective of the fact that the overall container trade is tepid. Empty container volumes are lagging compared to levels we experienced last year, but we look for empty flows to improve in the next few months as containers will be needed overseas to originate shipments. We expect May to be the strongest month thus far this year and will see benefits in the next few months from the upsizing of vessels in response to the Panama Canal expansion. Container lines will soon need to deploy 8,000-TEU ships and above to ports with the right mix of attributes to handle those vessels.”
   East Coast ports such as Charleston experienced a surge in volumes a year ago because of cargo diversion associated with massive congestion and labor problems at West Coast ports.
   The SCPA’s inland port in Greer handled 8,182 rail moves last month. The facility has handled 75,214 lifts since July, bringing fiscal year-to-date moves 54 percent higher than the same period last year.
   For the fiscal year since July, container volumes at Charleston inched up 2.8 percent.
   Breakbulk cargo in Charleston reached 74,915 pier tons in April.
   Meanwhile, the port authority said it would not charge a $25 fee, as previously stated, to help shippers comply with new Safety of Life at Sea regulations for providing the verified container weight.
   The board of directors also approved contracts for surface improvements at the Columbus Street Terminal, where vehicles and other breakbulk cargoes are handled. Two additional contracts, including for annual maintenance dredging at the North Charleston container terminal and a planning study for the Wando Welch container terminal were also approved. The board also authorized improvements to the SCPA’s existing dredged material container area on Daniel Island in preparation for dredging during the construction of a new container terminal at the former Navy base in North Charleston.