The South Carolina State Ports Authority announced Tuesday that breakbulk and container tonnage has been growing significantly so far this year.
Total breakbulk tonnage at the Port of Charleston, South Carolina surged approximately 80 percent in fiscal Q1 (July-September) to 234,232 tons compared to 130,226 tons in the same period last year. Calendar year-to-date, breakbulk tonnage is up 39 percent, with 609,674 tons handled in 2011 and 438,344 tons in 2010.
Twenty-foot equivalent units at the Port of Charleston rose 8.9 percent from August to September and jumped 17.6 percent compared to September 2010. TEU volume handled at the port in fiscal Q1 totaled 353,368 TEUs, the strongest quarter for the Port of Charleston since Q4 2008.
The Port of Georgetown's business grew five-fold during the month of September over 2010, while tonnage for the fiscal year is up 379 percent. Georgetown volume totaled 43,419 tons in September and 112,701 tons in the first three months of the fiscal year, up from 8,596 tons in September 2010.