Charleston Ports increase weekly container ship visits to 29

The South Carolina State Ports Authority announced an increase in container ship visits to the Port of Charleston. Starting this spring, there will be 29 weekly visits, up from the previous 25. This marks a 16 percent boost as cargo volumes continue to rise and the Southeast economy grows. With its deep harbor and efficient cargo handling, Charleston's port is vital for trade. Barbara Melvin, the president and CEO of the Ports Authority, noted the strong cargo growth, including significant increases noted last month. South Carolina is ranked fifth in the U.S. for population and GDP growth, which is expected to further enhance trade through the port. In April, a new direct shipping service to Turkey and Israel will begin. This service will be offered by Mediterranean Shipping Co. and will make Charleston the last East Coast stop. A new route from Vietnam is also starting, providing quicker transit to the East Coast. The Gemini Collaboration, initiated by container lines Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, is aimed at improving shipping reliability. Charleston is included in this service due to ongoing challenges with timeliness, as recorded shipment on-time rates were low in recent months. Last month, the port saw its highest container volumes since October 2023. It handled over 225,000 cargo boxes, an 11.5 percent increase from the same month last year. Most of this growth was due to empty containers being sent back to Asia for refilling. February's imports rose by 8 percent year-over-year, but exports fell nearly 11 percent. A report indicated that national imports have also increased as businesses rush to avoid heightened tariffs, particularly on goods from China, which have recently doubled. Lastly, vehicle exports from the Port of Charleston declined significantly, dropping by 19.4 percent from the previous year, especially affecting models produced at BMW's South Carolina plant.