Union Pier Terminal

Charleston, South Carolina
The Port of Charleston has numerous terminals that steamship lines may call, with transit times from the sea buoy to these ranging from 1 to 2.5 hours. The channel depth at water is 45 feet / 13.7 meters. SSA Atlantic is a full-service stevedore handling containers, breakbulk (paper products, lumber, steel), reefer cargo, lifts, RoRo, bulk commodities and passenger vessels. Our carrier-sponsored Container Freight Station division is actively stuffing and stripping containers on terminal for shippers.

Specifications and services

Location: 1 hour transit to sea buoy (32°47’4.55″ N, 79°55’30.20″ W)

Size: 60 acres / 24.3 hectares

Water Depth: 35 feet / 10.7 meters

Berths & Length: 4 berths, measuring 2,470 feet / 752.9 meters

Cranes: Mobile truck crane only

Rail Services: CSX and Norfolk Southern covered rail access to all warehouses

Highway Access: 2.7 miles to I-26

Cargos / Commodities Handled:

  • RoRo
  • Breakbulk
  • Passenger (stands alone)

Other facility facts

Fumigation Facilities: Yes

Heavy Lift Service: Mobile truck crane only

Transit Shed: 100,000 square feet / 9,290 square meters

General Notes About Rail Service: The South Carolina Railway Commission provides rail service in the state, with CSX and Norfolk Southern as the two major rail carriers. Each terminal in Charleston is operated by an independent rail service which feeds these terminals. These independents transfer rail cars from the individual terminals to the two major carriers’ offsite locations.

Independents: PUC for Columbus Street and Union Pier; Port Terminal Railroad for North Charleston; East Coast Berkeley Railroad for Wando area.