Infrastructure
Seaports
South Carolina's ports serve as valuable resources for many companies and provide excellent market access. One of the busiest container ports on the East Coast and the seventh largest container port in the United States, the Port of Charleston, has been a major global center of commerce and trade for three centuries. More high crane container lifts are done at this port than any other in the Western Hemisphere. The deep harbor and high bridges allow the port to serve ships of 6,700 TEUs, and its close proximity to the open sea saves valuable time. In 2006, the port handled 1.97 million TEUs.
Annually, approximately 2,000 ships and barges, representing some 40 different shipping lines, use the services of the South Carolina ports. Additional port facilities can also be found northeast of Charleston at the Port of Georgetown and southwest of Charleston at the Port of Jasper.