WASHINGTON: The Port of Charleston handled 1.097 million pier containers in fiscal year 2016 — from July 2015 to June — up a mere 0.2% from the year prior. In the past 15 years, the highest levels were in 2005 when 1.134 million pier containers came through the port. Pier container volumes account for every box that comes through the port, regardless of size.
Port volumes were flat during the second quarter and down in the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year as the world economy slowed, S.C. State Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome said during a board meeting last week. “As compared to last fiscal year when ports were growing 14-15%, that’s just not there right now. … We’re not in a hypertensive growth environment anymore,” Newsome said.
Pier container volumes in June were nearly 89,000, compared to about 97,000 during the same time last year. June volumes were partially impacted by temporary, planned plant shutdowns at Mercedes-Benz and BMW plants. Companies sometimes close down for a short period of time for vacations, maintenance or other reasons. Along with slowing world trade in China and Europe, port volumes were affected by a major deficit in imported, empty containers. Empty imports were down nearly 50% in fiscal year 2016, meaning around 29,000 fewer empty containers were imported this year compared to last year.
