Port sees strongest May on record

Listen to this article

The S.C. Ports Authority saw a record amount of cargo come through port terminals last month, surpassing previous fiscal year totals a month before the port’s year ends.

The port handled 204,457 TEUs — an industry measurement equivalent to a 20-foot container — at terminals in May, up 3.6% compared to May 2018.

Fiscal year-to-date, TEU volume is up 9.7%, with 2.2 million TEUs handled since the port’s fiscal year began in July. That’s equivalent to the total TEUs handled for the entire 2018 fiscal year.

“We look forward to continuing this momentum as we wrap up FY2019 at the end of June,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the ports authority, in a news release.

Measured in pier containers — boxes of any size — the port moved 118,048 containers last month, surpassing May 2018’s record by almost 5,000.

Fiscal year-to-date, pier container volume is up 10.2%, with 1.3 million boxes handled from July to May, almost 500,000 more pier containers than the port handled in the entire 2018 fiscal year.

Inland Port Greer also handled its highest monthly container volume last month, with 15,563 rail moves. The facility has handled 128,515 rail moves since July.

In the 2018 fiscal year, Inland Port Greer had a total of 117,812 rail moves.