South Carolina Ports Authority

On this Spring Break episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 2, 2024: Gavin Jackson’s interview of Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn and Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, featured on This Week in South Carolina, where they discuss the falling of Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, and how it may impact the Port of Charleston.

With multiple ports in South Carolina, state officials anticipate an increase in container ships coming to the state following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, MD.

The South Carolina Ports Authority announced plans Tuesday to buy the old WestRock paper mill site in North Charleston as it looks to expand port capacity. The 280-acre waterfront property sits adjacent to its North Charleston terminal.

South Carolina exceeded the United State's national export average by 18%.

Unionized dockworkers have the right to staff every job at a new container terminal in Charleston under a federal court decision — but there is no guarantee that a $1 billion loading site that has sat largely idle will soon resume activity.

South Carolina has deepened Charleston’s port to make sure it can take in any ship and remains one of the deepest harbors on the East Coast. The channel leading to the Port of Charleston is now 52 feet, once again allowing the biggest ships in the world to make it in and out of the harbor.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh says slowdowns and bottlenecks at the nation's shipping terminals are the result of an ongoing pandemic and problems like stagnant wages for some workers along the supply chain. Walsh told The Associated Press that's what he's hearing from those whose pay hasn't gone up commensurate with experience. Walsh met Wednesday with workers during a visit to the Port of Charleston in South Carolina. There's an ongoing labor dispute between South Carolina and the dockworkers' union, related to who should operate heavy-lift equipment at a new terminal. Walsh says he plays no role in the dispute but supports the right to join a union.

As port logjams across the country continue to constrain the U.S. supply chain, the union that represents dockworkers at South Carolina's ports tells The Associated Press it is calling on the Biden administration for help in a dispute related to a new shipping terminal.