Charleston, SC — South Carolina Ports and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a feasibility study agreement on Monday, August 31, for a project to deepen the upper Charleston Harbor. This initiative aims to allow all container terminals, including the North Charleston Terminal, to accommodate the largest ships regardless of tide conditions.
Officials with SC Ports anticipate that the project will align with long-term modernization plans, enhancing the port’s competitiveness. Micah Mallace, president and chief executive officer of South Carolina Ports, stated that maintaining the deepest harbor in the Southeast ensures expedited logistics for port customers and boosts South Carolina’s competitiveness, fostering cargo growth and job creation.
With the agreement in place, Army Corps engineers will commence an environmental and economic analysis of the proposed deepening of the upper harbor. Congress authorized this study in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, and federal funding for it was included in the FY26 Federal Appropriations.
U.S. Senator Tim Scott commented that the project is expected to help the region remain a central hub for the East Coast’s port system, supporting jobs, businesses, and manufacturers across the state. U.S. Senator Darline Graham reiterated these sentiments, emphasizing that ensuring the harbor remains the deepest in the Southeast is crucial for preserving the Port of Charleston’s competitiveness and efficiency by attracting the largest container ships globally.
Charleston Harbor was previously deepened to 52 feet in 2022, a project that extended up to SC Ports’ Wando and Leatherman Terminals. This earlier work enabled two-way traffic and vessel navigation at any tide. The current proposed project, which focuses on adding depth to the stretch of the Cooper River between the Leatherman and North Charleston Terminals, would complete the overall deepening efforts for the Port of Charleston.
