South Carolina State Ports Authority's board last week approved a contract for upland site preparation for a new 280-acre container terminal it plans to build on the former Navy Base in North Charleston.
The $550-million first phase of the project is expected to open in 2013. When fully completed, the terminal is expected to increase Charleston's port capacity by about 50 percent, or 1.4 million TEU.
Last week the board awarded the $13.6 million contract to Gulf Stream Construction Co. Inc. of North Charleston. Included in the project is construction of a retention pond along the southern portion of the terminal, relocation of utilities and road improvements to an adjoining property. This portion of the work is expected to be complete in two years.
A major dredge and fill project will be bid in early 2008.
The board also approved plans to jointly develop with the state of Georgia a new terminal in Jasper County, S.C. on the Savannah River.
The Associated Press noted that deal needs the approval of the Georgia Ports Authority, which is meeting next week, and the Georgia Transportation Department, which owns the land in Jasper County where the port will be located.
While the land is physically located in South Carolina, the state of Georgia acquired land on the north side of the river to use for disposal of dredge material when channels to Savannah, on the south side, were deepened or maintained.
In other business, the board elected David J. Posek of Greenville to serve a two-year term as chairman. Posek, has been a member of the board since October 2005. He is the retired president of Lockheed Martin's Aircraft and Logistics Center in Greenville, S.C.
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