Superior Transportation Logistics

With its world-class deepwater port, a growing international airport, and easily accessible ground transportation, Charleston County is well prepared to serve your transportation needs.

The deepest water of any port in the South Atlantic region*
With the deepest channels in the South Atlantic, regularly conducting vessels that draft up to 48 feet, and offering weekly service to more than 140 international destinations, Charleston’s world-class port is well equipped to take on any shipping challenge.
In fact, our port is internationally recognized for its high-efficiency rating—a rating based on speed of vessels navigating the natural harbor, availability of multiple terminals specializing in containerized, break-bulk, or rolling cargo, effective teamwork of port personnel and long shoremen, and smart time management with “truck turns.”

To ensure continued efficiency, the port is ever improving—with harbor deepening, development of a post-Panamax terminal, and purchase of state-of-the-art cranes and equipment to handle Post-Panamax vessels.

Well-kept, easily-accessed ground transportation
Just a short drive up I-26, I-95, I-77, and I-85 provide direct access to North Carolina, Tennessee, New England, Miami, and connecting highways to the rest of the U.S. In fact, Charleston offers one-day truck service to over 60 million people**.

And as for rail…the North Charleston Terminal’s on-terminal rail yard provides easy transport for containers coming from the port to an inland destination. Plus, two class-one carriers (Norfolk Southern and CSX) and one short-line service provider (South Carolina Public Railways) offer service to strategic local and national locations.

*According to www.scspa.com. The Port of Charleston as compared to other ports south of Norfolk, Virginia.
**According to http://www.dcready.com/charlestonmarket.html.