SC students name Leatherman Terminal’s ship-to-shore cranes

Students from around the Lowcountry have named South Carolina Ports’ five ship-to-shore cranes at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal.

The names are on the massive blue cranes in big block letters: Nifty Lifty, Sir Lift-A-Lot, No Crane No Gain, South Craneolina and The Reel Steel.

Students in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties came up with these creative names as part of SC Ports’ Name the Cranes contest. Third through fifth grade students submitted their suggestions for crane names. The selection process is anonymous.

The winners represent five schools and four municipalities, including two schools in North Charleston, which is where Leatherman Terminal is located.

“South Carolina Ports enjoys partnering with local schools to engage students and connect them to our operations and workforce. Our Names the Cranes contest is a really special way for students to connect with the port,” SC Ports Chief Operating Officer Barbara Melvin said. “Students always come up with creative names for our cranes, and we hope that it sparks a lifelong connection to the maritime industry for them.”

Ship-to-shore cranes are responsible for lifting cargo boxes filled with goods on and off container ships. Leatherman Terminal’s cranes have 169 feet of lift height above the wharf deck and 228 feet of outreach. The electric cranes are capable of working the largest container ships calling the East Coast.

“We have some of the tallest ship-to-shore cranes on the East Coast deployed at the country’s first container terminal to open since 2009,” SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “Our entire team is proud that these impressive pieces of cargo-handling equipment have a strong connection to South Carolina students through our Name the Cranes contest.”