At its regular monthly meeting, the SCPA board discussed how the proposed Savannah River deepening project would be insufficient to handle the larger container ships that already call the U.S. East Coast and that are expected to increase with the expansion of the Panama Canal.
"The proposed Savannah River deepening was probably fine when first conceived in 1999, but today's global shipping environment requires more," said Bill Stern, chairman of the SCPA.
He noted that a 50-foot deep channel has emerged as the minimum standard for the post-Panamax world in other East Coast ports - including New York, Baltimore, Norfolk and Miami - but the Savannah River would fall short even after deepening.
For some time Stern and others have warned that the proposed Savannah River deepening project could severely delay or even kill the prospects for a terminal in Jasper.
"It's a bad deal for the taxpayer to spend billions of dollars for a new Jasper Ocean Terminal on a last generation river," said Stern. "That means another deepening project, beyond the one currently being reviewed, would be required."
The Board concluded that it is not feasible to build a multi-billion-dollar Jasper Ocean Terminal under current and proposed conditions, voting to suspend funding related to the project.
To realize a terminal in Jasper, Stern called on Georgia to join with South Carolina in requesting that the Corps consider dredging to the Jasper site as an alternative in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, noting that such a project would cost much less and generate significantly fewer environmental impacts.
The SCPA will also seek to amend the intergovernmental agreement between the states, detailing specific actions required to help the Jasper Ocean Terminal.
Changes would include releasing the 50-year Federal easements on the entire site, sharing equally the costs of infrastructure to the site, determining the navigational capacity of the Savannah River and ensuring equal, dual-rail access from both major railroads.
"I hope our neighbors in Georgia share our long-term commitment to a Jasper Ocean Terminal and work with South Carolina to ensure its future," Stern said.
The Board also took other actions at its meeting today in Charleston:
1) Strategic Plan Update - Approved an update to its Strategic Plan, reflecting changes in the global economy, the container shipping industry and the Atlantic Coast port industry. The three-month effort resulted in a focus on four key strategic issues:
- Cargo Growth - grow and diversify business with a multi-tiered approach
- Infrastructure Development - modernize and expand, including fast-tracking harbor deepening, developing the new Navy Base Container Terminal and maximizing use of existing terminals
- Productivity & Efficiency - enhance productivity and cost competitiveness through new systems and programs
• Financial Sustainability - remain self-sufficient and fund capital investment program
2) New TOS - Approved an $11.9-million contract for HITT Contracting of North Charleston to install infrastructure related to a new terminal operating system (TOS) at the Wando Welch and North Charleston terminals. Implementation of the Navis SPARCS N4 TOS will improve customer service, increase efficiency and enhance cargo visibility.
3) Engineering for New Cranes - Approved a $1.2-million contract with Shaw GBB of Mobile for engineering consulting services related to the purchase four new super-post-Panamax container cranes for the North Charleston Terminal.
4) Personnel Actions - Approved a new organizational structure and related personnel actions to better align th
