Charleston reports container volumes down

Charleston reports container volumes down Port of Charleston said it handled 1.75 million TEUs in 2007, an 11 percent decrease from 2006.
   But the port said breakbulk volume rose 18 percent to 649,000 tons, primarily as a result of increased exports.
   The port pointed to several projects that it said “should help Charleston’s container volume rebound. Just inland from the port, a number of major developers have disclosed sites that will bring about 20 million square feet in new warehousing and distribution space to the region.”
   They include developments by Hillwood Investment Properties, Childress Klein, Johnson Development and Rockefeller. It noted that in nearby Orangeburg, S.C., Jafza International has purchased 1,300 acres to develop a $600 million logistics, manufacturing and distribution hub.
   The port also noted that two port expansion projects would allow it to handle increased cargo.
   A 50-acre expansion of the Wando Welch Terminal will boost capacity, and a $28-million contract to develop the first 25 acres of additional container yard was awarded in September and is underway.
   Development of a new, 280-acre terminal at the former Charleston Navy Base is moving ahead, with permits issued in April 2007. The $550-million first phase of the project is expected to open in 2013, and the terminal will eventually increase Charleston’s port capacity by about half or 1.4 million TEUs.