Fifteen ship-to-shore cranes stand above the wharf deck at the Wando Welch Terminal, efficiently handling mega container ships in the Port of Charleston.
The last crane was recently moved into position along the waterfront. With five cranes to a berth, the Wando Welch Terminal is able to efficiently operate three 14,000 TEU vessels at the same time.
The new ship-to-shore cranes have a lifting height of 47 meters (155 feet) and the ability to reach over 22 containers to work the largest ships calling on the East Coast.
“It is truly remarkable to see the final crane of our new fleet moved into place on the Wando Welch Terminal wharf. This is the culmination of years of effort, planning and coordination by our team and project partners,” SC Ports president and CEO, Barbara Melvin said.
“Our modern equipment provides smarter operations and more fluidity for the supply chain,” she added.
It is important to note that the cranes are a key part of SC Ports’ US$500 million investment to modernise the Wando Welch Terminal.
“SC Ports boldly invests in infrastructure ahead of demand, ensuring we have the capabilities and capacity to meet our customers’ needs,” noted Melvin. “Our SC Ports team and broader maritime community put in the work every day to make these investments successful.”
In addition to investing in port infrastructure, the US port continues to develop creative supply chain solutions.
Most notably, SC Ports has extended Sunday gate hours for motor carriers at least during the peak season, prioritising vessels carrying more cargo, significantly improved rail dray dwell times to approximately 36 hours, hired more than 150 people in cargo inflow management operations, and launched a port-owned and port-operated chassis pool.
Meanwhile, SC Ports handled 216,097 TEU and 119,872 pier containers at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Leatherman Terminal in July.
“We are continuing to be adaptive and responsive to ensure fluidity for our customers and cargo owners,” Melvin concluded.
