SC Ports Hits Record Cargo Volumes on Tourism Surge

CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina Ports Authority announced record-breaking cargo volumes for fiscal year 2025, ending June 30, with 2.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled across its facilities—a 3% increase from the prior year. The surge aligns with South Carolina's tourism rebound, as visitor spending topped $28 billion in 2024 per state tourism data, driving imports of retail goods, vehicles and hospitality supplies through the Port of Charleston’s Wando Welch, North Charleston and Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. terminals. Initially reported by ABC News 4, the figures highlight the port's efficiency amid global supply chain pressures.

Rail cargo between the Port of Charleston and SC Ports’ inland facilities in Greer and Dillon soared 4% to new heights, with Inland Port Greer achieving a milestone 205,523 rail moves—up nearly 10% and the first time surpassing 200,000 in a 12-month span. This growth stems from Greer's recent expansion, doubling cargo capacity and enhancing rail infrastructure to serve the Upstate's manufacturing boom, including BMW's Spartanburg plant. "Our strategic investments in rail are paying off, connecting coastal ports to inland markets seamlessly," SC Ports CEO Barbara Melvin stated in the July 21, 2025, release.

The tourism-fueled boom builds on post-pandemic trends, echoing 2021 records when pandemic shopping spiked volumes to historic levels. July 2024 saw an 8% container uptick at Charleston to 224,407 TEUs, the second-best July ever, boosted by Southeast population growth and peak import season. As South Carolina's economy grows—with Charleston’s hospitality sector adding 5,000 jobs in 2025—the ports position the state as a logistics powerhouse rivaling larger East Coast gateways.