DC Velocity - January 2012

;;;;;;;;; ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;!;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;

The beginning of each New Year brings renewed focus on business goals: how to grow, achieve greater efficiencies and reduce the cost of doing business. Given shipping industry trends – including the deployment of larger container ships and the expansion of the Panama Canal – South Carolina’s ports are well-positioned to help your business prosper now and in the years to come.

Deep water is international trade’s new currency. The Port of Charleston is home to the deepest harbor in the Southeast region today. For shippers, selecting a deepwater port such as Charleston reduces risk of capacity shortages and vessel delays, providing a more reliable supply chain for both import and export shipments.

Ocean carriers, in order to take full advantage of economies of scale and reduce costs, are
deploying big ships in greater frequency. Nearly 80 percent of the container ship capacity
on order is on ships too large for the existing Panama Canal, and ships of 8,000 and 9,000
20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) are already deployed on weekly services to our coast.

Expanding exports also is contributing to the shift in trade patterns and is increasing the Southeast region’s prominence. The Administration has called for a doubling of the nation’s exports, and the Southeast today is the nation’s hub for both manufacturing and agricultural goods for export. Since export goods are typically denser and heavier than imports, pushing ships down farther into the water, the region needs a true 50-foot harbor be able to accommodate big ships with deep drafts under any tidal condition.

The Port of Charleston will be that port. We are advancing our next harbor deepening project for Charleston to further enhance our big-ship handling and position as the deepest harbor in the region today. And studies demonstrate Charleston is most capable of delivering a 50-foot harbor for the cheapest cost – the best value for taxpayers at a time when federal funds are scarce.