Charleston

 

CURRENT ARTICLES –  

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">July 16, 2013

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Charleston Containers Up 9% in Fiscal Year 2013

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Charleston, SC - In results announced at today's regular Board meeting, South Carolina's public seaport system continued above-market growth during fiscal year 2013.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Container business at the Port of Charleston was up nine percent in the fiscal year that ended June 30, with 1.56 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled during the past 12 months.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">"The shipping industry trend toward mega-consortia will ultimately be an advantage for deepwater harbors, like Charleston," said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), referring to the rise of new carrier consortia such as the G6 and, more recently, the P3. "While just under the aggressive target we set for the past fiscal year, Charleston's growth remains at more than double the average market growth for the nation's ports," he said.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">June container figures were up four percent from the same month last year, reflecting the start of new or upsized container services in the port this summer. Charleston's two container facilities handled 125,257 TEUs last month.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Charleston's non-container facilities - Columbus Street, Union Pier and Veterans terminals - handled 1.12 million tons of bulk and breakbulk cargo in FY13, a 30 percent jump from the previous year. While breakbulk volumes grew around one percent, the biggest gains in these combined segments were associated with a large-scale, local paving project that has since concluded.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">In the Port of Georgetown, business at the dock was off 10 percent, with 494,645 pier tons handled from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Additional highlights from FY13 included:

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">•           Major progress on the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer. Since officially breaking ground on the project in March, work on the site has been proceeding rapidly. The facility is slated to be fully operational in October, following testing onsite in September.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">•           Continued advancements on Charleston's Harbor Deepening Project, including the selection as one of the Administration's "We Can't Wait" initiatives. This past year alone, more than $5 million in cost savings and five years off of the project timeline have been announced.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">•           The completion of a follow-up port air emissions inventory for the Tri-County region, which found significant reductions in air pollutants related to port operations in 2011 as compared to 2005 levels.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">•           An affirmed A1 credit rating and stable outlook by Moody's Investors Service, which underscores the SCPA's strong operating history, favorable financial performance and distinct advantages such as deep water.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">In other action, the SCPA Board approved a contract for nearly $2 million related to dike raising at Drum Island, a 200-acre upland disposal site for material from berth maintenance dredging at Columbus Street and Union Pier terminals. L&L Contractors, Inc. of Andrews, South Carolina was awarded a $1.99-million construction contract to raise the dikes by six feet, which will create an additional 1.5 million cubic yards of dredge capacity at the site.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">About the South Carolina Ports Authority

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The South Carolina Ports Authority, established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston and Georgetown, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy.  An economic development engine for the state, port operations facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina and nearly $45 billion in economic activity each year.  For more information, visit www.scspa.com.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">For more information:

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">  Allison Skipper, APR

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">  Manager, Public Relations

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">  South Carolina Ports Authority

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">  843-577-8121

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">  www.scspa.com

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Alert – Aug 5 Right Whale Comment Deadline Approaching

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">MARITIME ASSOCIATION OF SC

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">ACTION ALERT

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">PROPOSED RULE ON NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">BACKGROUND: In 2008, NMFS/NOAA implemented regulations (55 CFR 224) to reduce ship speeds to less than half of normal operations during designated periods of the year along certain portions of the US east coast.  This was done as part of an effort to protect North Atlantic Right Whales from potentially lethal collisions with ocean carriers.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">For South Carolina, the regulations are in effect from November 1 – April 30 and restrict vessel speeds to no more than 10 knots for vessels 65 ft (19.8 m) or greater in overall length. The Bush Administration capped the regulations to expire after five years, which would be December 9, 2013.  NOAA proposed in the June 6, 2013 Federal Register (Vol. 78, No. 109, Pg. 34024) to remove the expiration, allowing the regulations to continue unchanged indefinitely.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The Maritime Association of SC is not opposing elimination of the expiration (“sunset clause”), but we are requesting several changes to the rule.  These include:

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">(1)   The exclusion of South Carolina’s dredged shipping channel from the regulation (this would take approximately 15 square miles of ocean out of a rule that applies to over 6000 square miles); and

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">(2)   Reducing the time period for speed restrictions off South Carolina’s coast.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">While the intent of the regulation is noble, the past five years have shown that the regulations are not only flawed in general, but are also unfair specifically to South Carolina.  Below are arguments in support of the requested changes:

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">1.Along with Georgia, SC is the only state to be regulated border to border, and no state has a longer regulated period.  Northern states’ speed zones last only 4-1/2 months each year.  The proposal to permanently extend the regulation would continue to regulate the entire South Carolina coast from November 1 to April 30 each year, even though survey flights over the last eight years have never seen a Right Whale during April, and only four whales in November, in the area used by ships entering and leaving Charleston.  Continuing to regulate South Carolina for a full six months annually is unjustified.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">2.NOAA has concurrently cancelled spotting flights off South Carolina, following a recommendation from a stakeholder advisory group.  While NOAA has thereby acknowledged the species isn’t active enough off our coast to continue to survey, they’re perpetuating regulations that continue to regulate South Carolina more onerously than any other state.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">3.Ships in channels require speeds greater than ten knots to maintain control.  NOAA’s enforcement actions have forced ship masters to apply unsafe slow speeds, which has created a greater potential for harm to the environment (the whales’ habitat) off South Carolina, should a ship lose control and run aground or collide with another ship.  NOAA addressed this risk appropriately in their placement of a speed zone off Boston, where the zone begins outside of pilotage waters, and NOAA should likewise afford South Carolina the same deference for the safety of commercial operations in confined areas.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">4.Speed zone placements do not correlate with historical ship strike data, and South Carolina is heavily and unfairly over-regulated.  There has never been a documented fatal ship strike off South Carolina.

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">5.Regulations fail to address greater risks to the species, and unfairly target shipping.  Fatalities due to fishing gear entanglements are twice as prevalent as ship strikes, indicating that regulating shipping is misguided without also regulating fishing gear.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Also of note, the incidence of fatal ship strikes has remained unchanged since this regulation took effect.  From 1970 to 2008, there were 19 fatal strikes in 38 years.  Since the regulations went into effect in 2008, through 2012, there were two documented fatal strikes.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Again, while these facts indicate the regulation itself is somewhat misguided, we aren’t proposing that the regulation be terminated or that the “sunset clause” remain in place.  Instead, we respectfully ask that this regulation simply be amended so that South Carolina and its maritime industry are not unfairly burdened.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Please help us by submitting your comments by August 5, 2013.  CLICK HERE TO COMMENT.

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Leadership Changes

<span-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">In case you missed it last week, Change of Command ceremonies were held for both the USCG Sector Charleston and Army Corps Charleston District posts.  The Maritime Association of SC would like to welcome Captain Ric Rodriguez and Lt. Colonel John Litz to Charleston and look forward to working with them durin gtheir tenure here.

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">CURRENT ISSUES: 

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FUTURE/ONGOING ISSUES:  <span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">07/25/13 – 0800 – Nav Ops meeting

<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">07/25/13 - 1700 – MASC Happy Hour

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">2018     - ETA FOR NEW CHARLESTON PORT TERMINAL TO BE COMPLETED

 

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SECURITY LEVEL: MARSEC 1

CURRENT HURRICANE ALERT LEVEL:  4 – NO STORMS EXPECTED

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Tides for Charleston (Customhouse Wharf) starting with July 21, 2011.

Day        High      Tide  Height   Sunrise    Moon  Time      % Moon

           /Low      Time    Feet    Sunset                    Visible

 

July 2013

 

 

W   17     High   2:41 AM     5.0   6:24 AM     Set  1:24 AM      57

    17      Low   9:09 AM    -0.1   8:28 PM    Rise  3:19 PM

    17     High   3:40 PM     5.8

    17      Low  10:08 PM     0.5

 

Th  18     High   3:44 AM     5.0   6:25 AM     Set  2:10 AM      68

    18      Low  10:11 AM    -0.3   8:27 PM    Rise  4:24 PM

    18     High   4:44 PM     6.1

    18      Low  11:12 PM     0.3

 

F   19     High   4:49 AM     5.1   6:25 AM     Set  3:04 AM      78

    19      Low  11:14 AM    -0.5   8:27 PM    Rise  5:28 PM

    19     High   5:47 PM     6.4

 

Sa  20      Low  12:13 AM     0.0   6:26 AM     Set  4:04 AM      87

    20     High   5:53 AM     5.2   8:26 PM    Rise  6:29 PM

    20      Low  12:15 PM    -0.7

    20     High   6:48 PM     6.6

 

Su  21      Low   1:10 AM    -0.3   6:26 AM     Set  5:09 AM      94

    21     High   6:56 AM     5.4   8:26 PM    Rise  7:25 PM

    21      Low   1:15 PM    -0.8

    21     High   7:46 PM     6.8

 

M   22      Low   2:05 AM    -0.6   6:27 AM     Set  6:18 AM      98

    22     High   7:56 AM     5.6   8:25 PM    Rise  8:15 PM

    22      Low   2:12 PM    -0.9

    22     High   8:41 PM     6.9

 

Tu  23      Low   2:57 AM    -0.8   6:28 AM     Set  7:28 AM      99

    23     High   8:55 AM     5.8   8:24 PM    Rise  9:00 PM

    23      Low   3:07 PM    -0.9

    23     High   9:34 PM     6.8

 

W   24      Low   3:48 AM    -0.8   6:28 AM     Set  8:36 AM      98

    24     High   9:51 AM     5.9   8:24 PM    Rise  9:41 PM

    24      Low   4:01 PM    -0.7

    24     High  10:25 PM     6.6

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Th  25      Low   4:38 AM    -0.8   6:29 AM     Set  9:42 AM      93

    25     High  10:46 AM     5.9   8:23 PM    Rise 10:19 PM

    25      Low   4:55 PM    -0.4

    25     High  11:16 PM     6.3

 

F   26      Low   5:27 AM    -0.6   6:30 AM     Set 10:46 AM      86

    26     High  11:39 AM     5.8   8:22 PM    Rise 10:56 PM

    26      Low   5:49 PM    -0.1

 

Sa  27     High  12:05 AM     5.9   6:30 AM     Set 11:47 AM      78

    27      Low   6:15 AM    -0.4   8:22 PM    Rise 11:32 PM

    27     High  12:33 PM     5.7

    27      Low   6:44 PM     0.3

 

Su  28     High  12:54 AM     5.5   6:31 AM     Set 12:46 PM      68

    28      Low   7:04 AM    -0.2   8:21 PM

    28     High   1:25 PM     5.6

    28      Low   7:40 PM     0.6

 

M   29     High   1:44 AM     5.2   6:32 AM    Rise 12:08 AM      58

    29      Low   7:53 AM     0.0   8:20 PM     Set  1:44 PM

    29     High   2:18 PM     5.5

    29      Low   8:37 PM     0.9

 

Tu  30     High   2:35 AM     4.9   6:32 AM    Rise 12:47 AM      48

    30      Low   8:44 AM     0.2   8:20 PM     Set  2:39 PM

    30     High   3:11 PM     5.5

    30      Low   9:35 PM     1.0

 

W   31     High   3:27 AM     4.8   6:33 AM    Rise  1:27 AM      39

    31      Low   9:36 AM     0.4   8:19 PM     Set  3:33 PM

    31     High   4:03 PM     5.5

    31      Low  10:31 PM     1.1

 

AUGUST 2013

 

Th   1     High   4:19 AM     4.7   6:34 AM    Rise  2:10 AM      29

     1      Low  10:27 AM     0.4   8:18 PM     Set  4:23 PM

     1     High   4:54 PM     5.5

     1      Low  11:23 PM     1.0

 

F    2     High   5:11 AM     4.7   6:34 AM    Rise  2:56 AM      21

     2      Low  11:18 AM     0.4   8:17 PM     Set  5:11 PM

     2     High   5:44 PM     5.6

 

Sa   3      Low  12:12 AM     0.9   6:35 AM    Rise  3:45 AM      14

     3     High   6:02 AM     4.8   8:16 PM     Set  5:56 PM

     3      Low  12:06 PM     0.4

     3     High   6:30 PM     5.7

 

Su   4      Low  12:57 AM     0.8   6:36 AM    Rise  4:36 AM      8

     4     High   6:50 AM     4.9   8:15 PM     Set  6:37 PM

     4      Low  12:52 PM     0.3

     4     High   7:14 PM     5.8

 

M    5      Low   1:38 AM     0.6   6:37 AM    Rise  5:29 AM      3

     5     High   7:36 AM     5.0   8:14 PM     Set  7:16 PM

     5      Low   1:35 PM     0.2

     5     High   7:56 PM     5.9

 

Tu   6      Low   2:17 AM     0.5   6:37 AM    Rise  6:24 AM      1

     6     High   8:19 AM     5.0   8:14 PM     Set  7:52 PM

     6      Low   2:17 PM     0.2

     6     High   8:34 PM     5.9

 

W    7      Low   2:54 AM     0.4   6:38 AM    Rise  7:19 AM      0

     7     High   9:00 AM     5.1   8:13 PM     Set  8:27 PM

     7      Low   2:58 PM     0.2

     7     High   9:11 PM     5.9

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<span-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">OFFSHORE FORECAST

Synopsis<span-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">...HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED NORTH OF THE AREA WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT OFFSHORE THROUGH THE WEEK...WHILE A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE PERSISTS INLAND. A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST EARLY NEXT WEEK.

<span-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Today: <span-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">SW winds around 5 kt...becoming S late. Seas 2 ft. A slight chance of showers and tstms this morning.

Tonight: SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

Thu: W winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming S in the afternoon. Seas 2 ft.

Thu Night: S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft.

Fri: S winds 5 to 10 kt...increasing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms...mainly in the afternoon.

Fri Night: S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft...building to 4 to 5 ft after midnight. A chance of showers and tstms.

Sat: SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.

Sat Night: SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. A slight chance of showers and tstms.

Sun: SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.

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