Charleston Port's container volume up 28pc

The Port of Charleston handled 68,757 containers in April, an increase of 28.5 per cent compared to the same month a year earlier, with both imports and exports showing significant increases, according to the Shipping Gazette.

April was the fourth straight month of year on year container throughput growth for the Port of Charleston.

"Exports have been leading the way lately, and now imports are coming back as well," said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority.

Loaded export containers were up 38.1 per cent in April from the same month in 2009, and loaded imports increased 25.1 per cent. "Import growth is a very positive indicator and one that we'll watch very closely in the coming months."

Port authorities described April as being Charleston's strongest month for container volume in nearly a year-and-a-half. April's container volume was also up 3.8 per cent from the previous month.

(Source:www.transportweekly.com)