Study: SC Ports boost Midlands economy

South Carolina ports have a $22.3 billion economic impact on the Midlands region each year, the South Carolina Ports Authority announced last week.

That amount is a quarter of the authority's $87 billion annual economic impact across the state, according to a recent study by Joseph Von Nessen, a professor at the University of South Carolina. The data reveals a 43% increase in economic impact in the region since a previous study was performed in 2019.

"These numbers show that our value to South Carolina extends well beyond the Port of Charleston," said SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin in a news release. "In the Midlands, we’re supporting advanced manufacturers, healthcare companies, retailers and paper producers, moving goods for large companies and small businesses alike."

By keeping freight moving for companies in the state, the ports directly and indirectly support more than 67,000 jobs in the Midlands, with labor income totaling $4.5 billion, SC Ports officials said.

CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway serve the ports.