SC Ports: More than a port; a partner
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
SOUTH CAROLINA TRADE AND LOGISTICS
that scale with them,” Miller said. The SC Ports philosophy is to listen and discover what will impact business. The business has a well-established reputation for productivity and believes in engaging in the“ traditional connecting of dots: networking, new tracking of data, data storage programs.”
“ We engage outside the box as compared to other ports. For example, we have our own chassis pool. We took a lot of lessons from the pandemic and have evolved from them,” Miller said. This included refining key performance indicators( KPIs) that track and measure productivity in ways that support port performance.
Additionally, Charleston is known as a port where carriers can make up time, Miller said. The port is only 1.5 hours from open ocean, is protected from bad weather and is adept at planning ship work in advance.
“ Our average dwell at berth is about 15 hours, so we turn around relatively quickly,” Miller added. As with other ports, turn times, crane productivity data and other data points are posted every Monday on the SC Ports website.
Understanding supply chains True, proactive engagement and an in-depth understanding of their supply chains are key to working with BCOs, Miller noted.
“ We want to engage and be a resource,” he said.
For example, the Port of Charleston was recently able to assist a BCO with an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service( APHIS)-related issue caused by problems at cargo origin. The situation could have easily escalated to affect production.“ It was a crisis situation for the BCO,” Miller said.
However, SC Ports was able to work with Customs and Border Protection( CBP) to set up an on-terminal inspection program to identify, inspect and release the affected containers, which meant that the BCO did not have to take these boxes offsite and solve the problem elsewhere. The BCO was able to comply and get back to work quickly.
“ We effectively cut solution time by between 30 to 45 days,” Miller said.
The port also routinely arranges late and weekend gates for customers affected by delays. Its dynamic approach to responding and measuring its activities powers“ aggressive and proactive” management, Miller said.
“ It gives value back to carriers and their drivers. Container terminals live on the back of motor carriers, so they need a productive, fluid terminal,” he said.
Miller predicted that South Carolina will outperform through 2026 and into early 2027, based on what manufacturers and retailers are telling the port.
“ There are obviously some questions on the horizon regarding trade, not just here but across the world … there are a lot of possible near-term constraints, but the South will outperform. We are looking for growth that will maximize the capabilities of what we already have in place,” he said.
The Latin America connection
South America continues to be a vital trade partner for SC Ports, which reported in August that it had improved capacity between Charleston and several key Latin American markets via six weekly container services.
Customs broker Latin Gate specializes in Latin American trade, serving direct importers in the US and delivered duty paid( DDP) customers that manufacture in the Americas, said Miguel Sierra, director of Latin Gate.
“ We are very specialized in terms of the customs process and import compliance,” he said.“ We are exclusive customs brokers and are not involved in other aspects of the supply chain.”
Latin Gate is based in Miami but has a national permit and can handle all ports of entry and remote location filings,
SC Ports: More than a port; a partner
Boasting the eighth-largest container port in the US at the Port of Charleston, the South Carolina Ports( SC Ports) provides reliable, highly productive port service for companies’ supply chains. With Charleston’ s 25 weekly services, including first-in calls from key markets in Asia and Europe, imports and exports flow swiftly between the US Southeast and international markets.
SC Ports has the deepest harbor in the US Southeast at 52 feet, allowing for big-ship capabilities and berth fluidity, with ample cargo capacity and efficient operations to speed goods from dock to market. Two rail-served inland ports provide quick access to key inland markets, ensuring goods rapidly move to and from the Port of Charleston. Just-in-time manufacturers, retailers and refrigerated cargo shippers alike benefit from SC Ports’ productive, capable operations.
“ SC Ports provides the reliability and adaptability that shippers depend on as global trade continues to evolve,” said Micah Mallace, president and CEO of SC Ports.“ We remain committed to providing efficient port service and customized solutions, while continuing to deliver short-term projects to meet customer needs, and sustaining the Port of Charleston’ s long-term growth plan.”
As South Carolina continues to outpace the US in real GDP and population growth, SC Ports remains a preferred choice for shippers looking to move more imports and exports through the thriving Southeast market.
“ We remain committed to delivering best-in-class service as a high-performing port,” Mallace said.“ We are adept at meeting challenges head on and working hand in hand with customers to ensure their supply chains remain competitive.” n
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54 Journal of Commerce | October 5, 2026 www. joc. com