South Carolina Ports and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have signed a feasibility study agreement to examine additional channel depth for the North Charleston Terminal.
The agreement marks the first step toward potentially deepening the stretch of the Cooper River serving the terminal, which is currently maintained at 48 feet.
Charleston Harbor already reaches 52 feet elsewhere. Extending that depth to North Charleston Terminal would allow all SC Ports container terminals to accommodate the largest vessels regardless of tide.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, will conduct engineering, environmental and economic analyses of the proposed Upper Harbor deepening.
Congress authorized the study through the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. Federal funding was subsequently included in fiscal year 2026 appropriations.
“Deepening this final stretch makes our port more competitive and supports our long-term plan to modernize and enhance North Charleston Terminal,” said Micah Mallace, President and CEO of SC Ports.
Mallace added that deeper access would improve logistics for customers and support future cargo growth.
Charleston Harbor was deepened to 52 feet in 2022, including the shipping channel serving the Wando Welch and Hugh K. Leatherman terminals.
That project enabled larger vessels to access those terminals regardless of tidal conditions and supported two-way vessel traffic.
However, the section of the Cooper River between Leatherman Terminal and North Charleston Terminal remains at 48 feet.
Deepening this remaining section would effectively extend the harbor’s deeper navigation access to all of SC Ports’ container terminals.
SC Ports sees the project as part of its wider strategy to modernize North Charleston Terminal and strengthen the Port of Charleston’s competitiveness.
“SC Ports, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the SC Legislature and the Congressional delegation worked together for more than a decade to successfully deepen Charleston Harbor, giving South Carolina a lasting competitive advantage,” said SC Ports Board Chairman Bill Stern.
Lt. Col. Todd Mainwaring, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Charleston District, said the agency will work with SC Ports and other stakeholders to evaluate options for improving navigation.
The feasibility study will determine whether further deepening is technically, environmentally and economically viable before the project can move toward subsequent development stages.
