SC Ports pauses construction project to work through vessel backlog

South Carolina Ports today said it is quickly working through ships to reduce a queue of three vessels waiting to exchange cargo at its piers, and expects to regain the ability to immediately begin work on arriving ships by mid-July.

The Charleston, South Carolina-based facility said it has been working through a ship backlog, following a two-day software issue in May and ongoing berth impacts at Wando Welch Terminal related to toe wall construction along the wharf that is necessary to maintain a 54-foot berth depth.

To tackle the problem, SC Ports will pause the toe wall construction project from July 3 to 14, allowing it to reopen all three berths at Wando Welch Terminal. The facility has also offered extended working hours, the flexibility to call on either Wando Welch or North Charleston terminals, and virtual queue times in which SC Ports communicates with ocean carriers about estimated berthing times to avoid long waits.

Following those “creative operational solutions,” the facility predicts it will be able to work ships upon arrival by mid-July, although as the toe wall construction resumes going into August, it forecasts returning to a 48-hour average wait. In the longer term, SC Ports anticipates working three ships simultaneously at Wando Welch Terminal in late fall, ahead of the scheduled project completion in March, 2025. The planned reopening of Leatherman Terminal will also soon provide an additional berth for ocean carriers to call at the Port of Charleston.

“Our SC Ports team and maritime partners are working together to ensure fluidity for our customers amid this critical infrastructure project,” SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said in a release. “Our ability to provide creative solutions when challenges arise, along with the incredible support we receive from our customers, makes all the difference in navigating short-term supply chain challenges.”