In the wake of the South Carolina Ports Authority’s (SCPA) 2014 fiscal year-end report, officials with the terminal in Greer say the Upstate facility is making an impact since beginning operations in October of last year.
The Inland Port is increasing its volumes each month, while meeting or exceeding expectations, said ports authority spokeswoman Erin Dhand.
Along with smaller companies and freight forwarders, the major clients targeted to use the inland port are doing so, she said. The terminal surpassed 6,000 gate moves during the month of July, and “we’re on track to meet our goal of handling 25,000 containers in the first full year of terminal operations, with current capacity of up to 40,000 containers annually.”
BMW, the Inland Port’s launch customer, continues its export rate of 70 percent in annual production.
BMW’s partnership with the state’s ports authority extends more than two decades, and “as we approach a milestone output of 350,000 units this year to over 140 countries, our use of both the SC Inland Port and the Port of Charleston is vital to meeting our production growth,” said Sky Foster, department manager of corporate communications for BMW Manufacturing
Foster said BMW receives about 1,000 containers (approximately 2,000 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs) each month through the Inland Port. As the plant’s annual capacity is planned to increase to 450,000 units by 2016, the volume through the Port of Charleston will proportionately increase as well, she said.
The SCPA recorded operating earnings during FY2014 of $14.3 million, 20.7 percent over the organization’s financial plan.
With the Port’s aggressive capital plan over the next several years, SCPA board chairman Bill Stern said a solid financial performance is essential.
The strong 2014 fiscal year revenues reflect the SCPA’s continued focus on the growth necessary for important projects, he said.
A statement issued by the SCPA last week showed that major initiatives for the upcoming fiscal year included continued work on harbor deepening, construction on the Wando Welch Terminal wharf refurbishment project, and efforts to restructure container contracts and refine capital planning.
