Construction of SC Ports’ Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, the country’s first container terminal to open since 2009, is progressing toward a March 2021 opening.
The site, situated on the former Navy Base along the Cooper River, is on track to become a world-class terminal.
Following years of planning and a complex construction process, the Leatherman Terminal will be ready to welcome container ships in less than six months.
Construction milestones
According to SCPA, a critical component of Phase One — the 1,400-foot wharf — is complete. The new facility will handle up to 19,000-TEU vessels with five of the tallest ship-to-shore cranes on the East Coast.
The overall site development of the Leatherman Terminal is approximately 75% complete.
As stated, SC Ports is in the final year of a six-year capital improvement plan, a culmination of years of strategic infrastructure planning and $2 billion in investments. The $1 billion Phase One of the Leatherman Terminal complements efforts to modernize Wando Welch Terminal and deepen Charleston Harbor to 52 feet.
These investments will enable SC Ports to handle four 14,000-TEU vessels simultaneously in 2021.