On the heels of larger vessel deployment and the opening of the expanded Panama Canal, South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) yesterday welcomed an 8,200 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) “K” Line vessel, the Hannover Bridge.
“ SCPA is already benefiting from the upsizing of vessels in response to the expansion, with 16 of the 26 weekly container vessel calls in Charleston now being served by large ships formerly known as post-Panamax ,” said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome . “ The arrival of the first 8,500-class vessel to pass through the newly-expanded Panama Canal locks bound for Charleston is a milestone for our port and maritime industry.”
Charleston is currently the deepest harbor in the Southeast, routinely handling ships over 1,100 feet long and 150 feet wide with drafts up to 48 feet.
When the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project to 52 feet is completed, Charleston will offer the deepest harbor on the East Coast.
Beyond harbor deepening, SCPA has a 10-year, $1.3 billion capital expenditure plan that includes the construction of a new container terminal, the Leatherman Terminal, and the modernization of existing facilities and technology.
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