b'INFLUENCE OF THE PORT AND CHAMBER IN SHARP FOCUSFormer SCSPA President and CEO, JimA new container terminal is $2 billion. Deep- for high tide to come in and out. Now the Newsome, has a lot to say about the Port ofening of the harbor is $600 million. Largedeepest on the East Coast at 52 feet, the Charleston and its partnership with regionalcontainer ships were coming to the U.S. Weharbor accommodates a new generation leadership and the community. He workedhad to do a lot of things simultaneously toof ultra-large container vessels, called in the container shipping industry most ofbe ready for the opportunity to support thePost-Panamax ships, coming through the his life before being recruited by SC Portsgrowth of trade and we couldnt wait 10 yearsexpanded (in 2016) Panama Canal.in 2009 to serve as president and CEO. Histo do them without losing our relevance. view of the relationship between the PortWhen I started in 2009, we did not have and its home is succinct: Charleston is a cityIt was important to us to be a top 10 containermore than 5,000 TEUs or 20-foot-equivalent because of the Port.portwe maintained that status and improvedunits (ships) here. We had 8,500 TEU ships in it by one spot. Our board had the foresight to2010. Today, were seeing 13,000 to 15,000 Fortunes ebb and flow, but the Port has beeninvest in infrastructure on a timely basis, soTEU ships. Deepening the harbor removed a hub of commerce for a long time and thatSC Ports future is very bright. Its a criticala significant constraint and was one part of will never change. SC Ports is a long-cyclecomponent of the growth of Charleston, thecreating an unrivaled efficiency. Because of infrastructure business. The SCSPA boardstate and the Southeast region. We should nottimely investment, a great maritime workforce had the confidence and continues to have theunderestimate the quality of jobs it creates. and a real commitment from the people in this confidence, I believe, to invest in appropriateindustry to view it as a profession demanding infrastructure. And thats a big lift for us. TheNewsome explains that SC Ports wantedquality, this port is as efficient as any port in type of infrastructure we build is not for theno limits to navigation. You dont want a bigthe country.faint of heart. Its expensive. container ship carrying heavy cargo to wait 11 ORIGIN STORY'