b'6American Journal of Transportation ajot.comPort of Charlestons big-shipCarolina ports 2020capabilities growing with new terminal, deeper harborBy Paul Scott Abbott, AJOTAlreadyanimpressiveGreer, while Volvo unveiled U.S.Southeastcommercialamanufacturingfacilityin hub, the South Carolina PortSouthCarolinasBerkeley AuthoritysPortofCharles- Countyin2018.AndSC tonisabouttoofferevenPortshandlesautomotive greatercapabilitiesforeffi- cargos for beyond the states cientlyhandlingbigbox- borders,includingforthe ships, with early 2021 bodingMercedes-Benzfactoryin to bring opening of the initialVance, Alabama. Meanwhile, phase of the first new majorMichelinhasmultipletire U.S.containerterminalinplants in South Carolina.more than a decade. SC Ports appeared poised Infrastructure investmentsin its fiscal year ending June totaling $2 billion over a six- 30, 2020, to eclipse its recordWith completion of 2,600 contiguous feet of berth space, NC Ports Port of Wilmington can simultaneously handle year span also are deliveringcontainervolumeoffiscalcalls by two ultralarge container vessels.enhancements to existing con- 2019whentheCOVID-19North Carolinas Wilmington advancingat light speed as US Southeast gatewayBy Paul Scott Abbott, AJOTWhen Paul J. Cozza turns the helm of theprogram, has included opening of 2,600 con-North Carolina State Ports Authority over totiguous feet of container berth space and a new Brian E. Clark at yearend, he intends to do sorefrigerated container yard, as well as comple-with confidence the Port of Wilmington willtion of turning basin expansion and air draft continue to blossom as a U.S. Southeast traderaisingendeavorsontheCapeFearRiver, gateway,buildinguponitswhich bodes to be deepened abilitytoefficientlyaccom- to47feet,pendingcongres-Construction advances at SC Ports Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, to be themodate megacontainerships. sional funding signoff.first new major U.S. container terminal in more than a decade.(Photo credit:IthasbeenformeaIthinkwevereally Walter Lagrenne, South Carolina Ports Authority) really,reallygoodride,andmadesomegreatachieve-tainer terminal abilities, whilepandemichit,resultinginaImeanthatsincerely,saidments,hesaid.Weveput a 52-foot-deep harbor is justtotal2.8percentyear-over- Cozza, a former Maersk Lineinawholeinfrastructure months away as well. year decline in 20-foot-equiv- executivewhoassumedtheplanthatsnot100percent James I. Jim Newsomealentunitsmovingthroughtop spot at NC Ports in Aprilcompleteand youre never III,aformerHapag-Lloydits container terminals for the2014. When I got into Northcomplete,youkeepmoving (America) Inc. president who12-monthperiod,with2.32CarolinaPorts,wereallyforwardbut weve made a isenteringhis12thyearasmillion TEUs handled. neededadirection,andwelot of headway. president and chief executiveLife looked pretty rosy,really needed a plan. Andtheresnoques-officer of the South Carolinaandthen,allofasudden,ItwastheintentoftheNorth Carolina State Ports Authoritytion weve brought in a com-PortsAuthority,hasampleChinashutdownduetothestate at that time to go aheadExecutive Director Paul J. Cozza ismercialawarenessaround reason to be stoked. pandemic, which meant a lotand recruit someone out of thepleased with progress attheworldofNorthCarolina If you look at the 10-yearof the offshore manufacturingindustry and start moving portthe Port of Wilmington duringPortscapabilitiesandthe timeframe from the last reces- shutdown,Newsomesaid,logistics forward in the state,his 6 1/2 years at the helm. capabilities of North Carolina sionupuntil2019,wedou- adding that forecasting futureCozza toldAJOT. Weve really moved for- as a state, Cozza added. Its been really fun. bled our volume in 10 years,volumes is now very difficult,ward in light years with what weve been ableIt really has.andthatwaslargelyduetowithexpectationshingingto achieve in this time. Cozza,whoannouncedhisretirement themanufacturingbusiness(CAPABILITIEScontin- Progress at the Port of Wilmington, underplans back in June, is quick to share credit.in South Carolina, Newsomeued on page 9) NC Ports $200 million capital improvement(ADVANCINGcontinued on page 7)told AJOT, noting that a dou-blingofadvancedmanufac-turingjobsinthePalmetto Statehascoincidedwitha.like Clockwork doubling in Port of Charleston containerized cargo volumes. Its really amazing.James I. Jim Newsome III, president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Ports Authority, attributes success of the Port of Charleston to the strength of the local maritime community.Automotive and tire seg-mentshaveledtheway,he said. BMW has invested $10 billioninSouthCarolina since 1994, when the BMW Spartanburg plant opened in'