The Charleston, South Carolina-based South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) reported Wednesday that volume at South Carolina's public ports was up 7 percent in February over the same month last year. Volume for the first eight months of the SCSPA's fiscal year-to-date (July through February) was up more than 12 percent over the same period last year.
The SCSPA has attributed the increase to major improvements to container operations and the completion of a nearly $22 million project to accommodate growth in Charleston's breakbulk sector.
The Port of Charleston handled 108,992 20-foot equivalent units (TEU's) in February, up from 101,900 TEU's in February 2010. Fiscal year-to-date, the Port of Charleston handled 912,789 TEU's.
Breakbulk tonnage in the Ports of Charleston and Georgetown was up more than 44 percent for the first eight months of the fiscal year, with 657,528 tons handled at the two ports in fiscal year 2011 versus 455,449 tons handled last year.