Sites and Infrastructure

Interstate Highway System

Crisscrossed by five interstate highways, our state offers excellent east-west and north-south access to the rest of the United States. In addition, these interstates are enhanced by another 41,000 miles of state-maintained highways.

Use our Building & Sites Locator to find available buildings and sites near convenient interstates and highways.

Deep Water Seaports

The Port of Charleston is one of the busiest container ports along the Southeast and Gulf coasts and is recognized as one of the nation’s most efficient and productive ports averaging 36 moves per hour per crane, exceeding the industry average. The deep harbor and high bridges also allow the port to serve ships of over 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and its close proximity to the open sea saves valuable time.

The Port of Charleston also has the deepest shipping channels in the Southeast and can accommodate up to a 52 foot (15.9 meter) draft at mean low tide and a 46 foot (14 meter) draft 24 hours a day.

Airports

Time is everyone's most valuable resource. You are within an hour's drive of one of our four primary airports from anywhere in the state. To the north, it only takes a few hours' drive to arrive at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the same is true to the west for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in central Georgia.

Railways

Seventy million tons of freight move through South Carolina each year thanks to our extensive rail services. Our expansive rail system includes two Class I railroads—CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern—as well as seven independent lines to service nearly 2,300 miles of rail. Furthermore, Palmetto Railways operates three common carrier railroads: The Port Utilities Commission of Charleston (PUCC), the Port Terminal Railroad (PTR) and the East Cooper and Berkeley Railroad (ECBR).

Use our Building & Sites Locator to find available buildings and sites near the railways.

Energy

We're a virtual powerhouse when it comes to low-cost and reliable energy. Energy costs in South Carolina are approximately 12% less than the national average. Our diverse mix of energy sources—hydroelectric, nuclear, coal, natural gas and other renewable resources—keep the state running efficiently. Due to investments in nuclear power infrastructure, South Carolina also maintains stable electricity costs.

 "Charleston's strong port coupled with its strengthening profile in alternative energy gave us complete confidence in our decision to come here." –Rudiger Unverzagt, CEO, IMO USA

Other South Carolina energy highlights:

• Has used emissions-free nuclear power since the early 1970s
• Ranks as the third largest generator of nuclear-powered energy in the US
• Generates more than 50 million net megawatt hours of energy from nuclear power

Networks

South Carolina has more than 1.5 million high-speed lines (more than 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction) connecting homes and businesses to the Internet. All South Carolina ZIP codes have high-speed Internet lines in service.

Our highly reliable world-class communications network is designed and engineered to meet the requirements of industry for wireless, high-speed Internet access and voice service. This network is comprised of both digital switching centers and copper and fiber-optic cable. Redundancy ensures the continuity of service.

South Carolina is home to many leading computer-related companies. Product development teams at the Columbia Design Center, Intel’s premier R&D location in the Southeast, focus on the development and validation of new high-end telecommunications servers. The ability to work with local experts in the design, maintenance and outsourcing of integrated computer systems is a necessity for many businesses.