The Port of Charleston continues to be crucial to the Upstate’s economy, and with manufacturing jobs in the area, it promises to be a valuable partner for decades to come.
Expansion and growth
April was the 14th consecutive month for record cargo at the Port of Charleston, and retail imports were up 34% over last year. In fiscal year 2022, the port has moved more than 1.2 million containers, a 16% increase over the previous year.
The port remains one of the largest on the East Coast, and according to the South Carolina Ports Authority, the Port of Charleston supports 10% of jobs in the state, and those jobs pay 32% more than the state’s average wage. The ports benefit the Upstate with an annual economic impact of $33 billion, with 117,000 jobs supported. Half of the $63.4 billion in economic impact comes from the Upstate.
“South Carolina is a manufacturing and exporting state,” said John Lummus, president and CEO, Upstate SC Alliance. BMW produced 430,000 cars in its Greer factory last year, and 70% of them were exported, he said. With manufacturers like TTI, Keurig/Dr Pepper, Michelin, Bosch and ZF, the ports were absolutely essential for the manufacturing businesses that have set up shop in the Upstate.
Improvements in trucking
Lummus said there is a concerted effort by Gov. Henry McMaster to incentivize trucking in order to get the shipping containers in and out of the ports. The governor’s plan to make trucking school free has helped bring new blood to an industry that has been suffering from driver shortages. Lummus also credits the industry for offering better pay and benefits.
“It’s always been a difficult job to place because it’s a difficult job,” Lummus said. The backlog at the ports in South Carolina has improved to the point where shipping vessels are not waiting in the ports anymore.
“In the past three to four months, it has gotten significantly better,” he said.
However, there are headwinds: The cost of diesel in the Upstate has risen past $5 per gallon, and he said most of those costs are being passed on to consumers.
The port has also seen record imports, according to Liz Crumley, director of communications, South Carolina Ports Authority. She said the port’s expanded gate hours and efficient operations help truckers get loaded or unloaded quickly, but driver shortages hurt companies importing raw materials as much as they affect the cost of finished products going out.
Improvements in infrastructure
“S.C. Ports has worked to modernize Wando Welch Terminal, open the state-of-the-art Leatherman Terminal and deepen Charleston Harbor to 52 feet,” she said.
Crumley said the ports authority has invested more than $2 billion in recent years to handle the increased volume of cargo along with the increasing size of ships. The ports authority is looking to invest $550 million with the help of the South Carolina Legislature in order to build a near-dock rail terminal to provide better cargo capacity. She said it was the only major port on the East Coast without near-dock rail. $200 million has been included in the state’s 2021-22 fiscal year budget to cover part of this investment, said Crumley.
“We are thankful to our state leaders for their visionary leadership and support,” S.C. Ports CEO Jim Newsome said. “Strategic investments in port infrastructure are crucial to remain competitive as a port and as a state.”
Port of Charleston statistics
- $63.4 billion annual statewide economic impact.
- Creates 1 in 10 jobs in South Carolina.
- Port-supported jobs pay 32% higher than the state’s average annual wage.
- $33 billion economic impact each year for the Upstate.
- Creates more than 116,000 jobs in the Upstate.
