Charleston, South Carolina, offers rail-linked warehousing

DRIVEN by a surge in exports, the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) is teaming up with the Charleston region's rail-served warehouses to serve targeted export accounts through the Port of Charleston.

The new business development programme aims to build business through the port and 14 rail-served warehouses with 2.7 million square feet of space in the Charleston area, a statement from port authorities said.

"Through this new collaborative programme with some of the most innovative companies in the port community, we're looking to build solutions for exporters while boosting port volume," said port authority CEO Jim Newsome.

In April, Charleston's loaded export containers increased by 36 per cent year on year and were up six per cent from March. Exports in the Port of Charleston recently have risen sharply, due to a recovering global economy, a weak dollar and increased demand for the products used to make or package import goods.

Rail-served warehouses have diverse cargo handling capabilities. They are served by both or either railway operator, Norfolk Southern and CSX.

"Having the deepest water in the Southeast allows the carriers to really max out export loads," said Mr Newsome. "For every foot of water gained, an ocean carrier can handle about 100 additional fully loaded, 40-foot containers. That's good news for everyone involved in the movement of that cargo, from the warehouses to the dock workers and beyond."
(Source:www.schednet.com)