Palmetto State News

South Carolina Ports is doing its part to break the nation's supply chain crunch, setting an all-time monthly record for containers handled in November.

According to a Dec. 7 release, this is the ninth straight month of a year-over-year monthly record cargo volume at SC Ports. 

The November haul surpassed the monthly container record set in March, and is in part to the “unprecedented retail imports” flowing into the Port of Charleston, according to the release.

“The sustained, robust demand for consumer goods continues to drive record-breaking cargo volumes and retail imports at the Port of Charleston,” SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome said in the release. “While the global supply chain remains strained from handling unprecedented amounts of cargo, S.C. Ports brings fluidity to the supply chain. 

“We invested strategically in port infrastructure to provide much-needed capacity, and we consistently deploy creative, responsive solutions to meet shippers’ needs.”

According to the release, 138,573 pier containers went through the port in November, a 21% increase year-over-year. 

Loaded imports hit an all-time monthly record, with 127,081 loaded import TEUs handled in November, an increase of 36% year-over-year. Loaded exports are also now on the rise, with 67,639 loaded export TEUs moved last month for an increase of nearly 5% from last year. 

“With record throughput volumes, we are experiencing higher than normal on-terminal inventories, especially with empty containers,” Newsome said in the release. “We are working with our ocean carrier partners to ramp up evacuations of empties to ensure we maintain terminal fluidity.”