South Carolina authority to buy paper mill site for port expansion

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) yesterday announced plans to purchase the former WestRock paper mill site in North Charleston to further expand capacity at the Port of Charleston.

The 280-acre industrial waterfront property is adjacent to North Charleston Terminal, offering a natural extension of the container terminal that will enable the port to handle more cargo for port-dependent businesses, SCPA officials said in a press release.
 
The additional land will expand the terminal’s capacity to 5 million containers, and create 5,000 feet of linear berth space for container ships and about 400 acres of terminal space for cargo.
 
“South Carolina’s economy is prospering, and we must continue to invest in our world-class port system to support the companies investing in our state,” said SCPA President and CEO Barbara Melvin. “This is an incredible opportunity to enhance our high-performing North Charleston Terminal with renewed capacity to handle future growth.”

The SCPA plans to modernize the existing North Charleston Terminal with an optimized layout, upgraded cargo-handling equipment and additional container capacity. On-terminal rail service is provided by Palmetto Railways, which interchanges with CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway.
 
The SCPA plans to work with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, Palmetto Railways, Ingevity Corp. and the city of North Charleston to master plan the new infrastructure to best support the region’s economy and residents.

“As the Southeast economy and the Port of Charleston continue to grow, the demand for transporting more goods in and out of the Charleston region is increasing,” said Palmetto Railways President and CEO Patrick McCrory. “[SCPA’s] acquisition of the WestRock mill site and investment in the North Charleston Terminal and supporting infrastructure will add more fluidity and capacity to our regional supply chain as we handle more cargo by rail at the terminal and throughout the state.”