The South Carolina State Ports Authority reported Tuesday that shipping volume through South Carolina's ports (Port of Charleston and Port of Georgetown) increased dramatically in fiscal year 2011 (ended June 30). Breakbulk tonnage showed major gains, rising 32.3 percent year-on-year to 991,705 tons in fiscal 2011 due to a growth in vehicles, project cargo, heavy lift, bulk and traditional breakbulk cargoes. Container volume was 1.38 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an 8.3 percent increase from fiscal 2010.
The Port Authority attributed the increases in shipping volume to an extension of South Carolina's overweight permit limit to 100,000 pounds gross vehicle weight for all shipping containers, expanded on-site and off-terminal trans-loading capabilities for export products to serve China and other major world markets as well as advancement of the Charleston Harbor Deepening project to serve larger container and breakbulk ships.