First US new terminal in decade opens in North Charleston

Photo: SC Ports PR0421-LeathermanTerminal.jpeg
The Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, the first in a decade to open in the US, began operations in North Charleston last Friday.

The start of operations was marked with the arrival of the Hapag Lloyd's 3,237-teu Yorktown Express.

The terminal features 426m of quayside, 19h-container yard, 25 gantry cranes, and an annual capacity of 700,00 teu.

Phase one of the terminal opened late last month. When the entire project is complete, it will double port capacity in the Charleston area, and port officials said it’s coming online at just the right time. Charleston’s ports set an all-time record last month with nearly 249,000 teu. The new terminal plays a key role in the region’s economic growth. The Leatherman Terminal can efficiently work the biggest ships calling on East Coast ports.

 “SC Ports is extremely proud to open the first container terminal in the US since 2009 in South Carolina. This took years of effort by our team and project partners,” SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome Newsome said.

“We have invested in the right infrastructure at the right time to handle growing cargo volumes and bigger ships, ensuring SC Ports remains a top 10 US container port. The Leatherman Terminal adds a berth and more capacity to the Port of Charleston when it is most needed on the East Coast.

“We made history today as we advance SC Ports’ capabilities and enhance South Carolina’s supply chain for generations to come. Tomorrow is here at SC Ports,” he added.