SC Ports pursuing inland port to improve efficiency of freight movement

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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The South Carolina Ports Authority is pursuing the development of an inland port in Greer, S. C., to improve the efficiency of international container movements between the Port of Charleston, the South Carolina Upstate and neighboring states.

The SCPA Board has authorized the negotiation of a preliminary engineering contract with Patrick Engineering. The firm is partnering with South Carolina firm Davis and Floyd on the engineering work.

The SCPA’s fiscal year 2013 capital plan included approximately $23.5 million in capital spending for this public-private partnership.

In 1982, the SCPA acquired a 100-acre site in Greer for the purposes of building an inland port, but has been largely dormant over the past 25 years.

“The successful growth of intermodal container movements in our state and the region requires the development of state-of-the-art container handling facilities in the interior able to ground loaded and empty containers and leverage the efficiency and sustainability of rail transportation,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SCPA.

The engineering study will define the land footprint required to support the facility, the final cost and key operational aspects and will be performed on a fast-track basis consistent with the aggressive overall timetable for the project.

Upon the receipt of necessary permits, SCPA intends to seek Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funds due to the multimodal characteristics of the project.

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