Palmetto Railways seeks permit for proposed intermodal facility

Palmetto Railways has applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a permit for the railroad's proposed intermodal facility at the former Navy base in North Charleston, S.C.

A division of South Carolina's Commerce Department, the railroad's proposed intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF) would provide equal access to CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway trains.

Palmetto has proposed building and operating the facility near the intersection of Hobson Avenue and Viaduct Road at the former Charleston Naval Complex (CNC) in North Charleston. Palmetto currently provides rail services to Union Pier Terminal, Columbus Street Terminal, Veterans Terminal, North Charleston Terminal, and various private industries in the region.

Completion of the Navy Base ITCF would require additional off-site roadway and rail improvements, according to the project proposal.

Presently, the two Class Is operate two existing intermodal terminals — the CSX Ashley Junction terminal and the NS 7-Mile terminal — in the region that serve the Port of Charleston and local businesses and industries. Both terminals are at or near their throughput capacity at a combined 498,800 twenty-foot equivalent units. Infrastructure improvements are limited by the lack of contiguous available land for future expansion.

The proposed Navy Base ICTF would provide the capacity to meet projected regional intermodal growth.  The facility would move cargo between CSX and NS trains and the South Carolina Ports Authority, including its new Leatherman marine container terminal under construction at the former Navy complex.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Palmetto's proposed ICTF. A public hearing was held earlier this year and the EIS comment period is now closed.

Comments on the permit application will be accepted until Nov. 16.