By Dan McCue
Staff Writer

When it comes to expanding its cargo volume from the Far East, the South Carolina State Ports Authority has some significant challenges, according to John C. Martin, a prominent economic analyst for the port industry.

To begin with, said Martin, president of the Lancaster, Pa.-based Martin Associates, the Port of Charleston is “plagued” by limited acreage to expand upon or to lease to others.

“The other thing is the fact they couldn’t develop Daniel Island really sent a signal to the industry that there isn’t the community support they’ve witnessed in other communities,” he said.

Then too, Martin said, the Port of Charleston relies on most of its departing freight going out by truck rather than rail.

Despite these factors, Martin thinks the Port of Charleston is already beginning to show signs of shifting its focus to the Asian market.

“The thing about the Port of Charleston, looking at it historically, is that once they begin to move in one direction or another, they do so aggressively. That’s what’s made it an excellent port,” he said.

An approach the SPA has taken to address its land issues is to find ways to make existing space more viable, SPA spokesman Byron D. Miller said.

Among the steps Charleston has taken is to extend its operating hours, install new information technology and restrict windows for cargo receptions.

“In the past, there was no limit on truckers in terms of how long before a ship’s arrival they could leave their deliveries. Now, every export that enters our terminals has to be assigned to a ship that’s less than seven days out,” Miller said. “We’re not interested in simply storing containers and collecting a fee. We’d much rather that space be taken up with cargo that’s on the move and freeing up that space in a timely fashion for more moving cargo.

“Remember, there are ways to grow a port other than building another terminal,” Miller added. “We are constantly seeking creative, effective, safe ways to improve our productivity at the dock, in the yard and at the gate. It’s that attitude that makes Charleston stand out.”

The SPA has also been working with ocean carriers to better determine how much physical space they actually need and changing terminal layouts accordingly, Miller said.

“Transportation is all about time and place value,” he said. “The way to survive and thrive in the face of this unprecedented demand is to do everything you can to operate at your maximum practical capacity in as efficient a manner as possible.”

Martin said he thinks the SPA will ultimately be equally successful in mustering community support.

“The challenge of Charleston is that it’s a lovely, lovely city, and people see the tourism and other industries as competing directly with and, in some sense, being threatened by port expansion,” he said. “The real challenge in Charleston is getting people on the same page. The rest will take care of itself. But they actively have to court public opinion, public support and public awareness.”

Dan McCue is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dmccue@charlestonbusiness.com.

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