Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Georgetown port dredging gains backer

The port of Georgetown is adding another powerful advocate -Gov. Mark Sanford - to its list of supporters trying to secure federal funding for dredging.

"We're looking at a few options going forward, among them writing a letter to members of the congressional delegation expressing the administration's support for the Port of Georgetown increasing its depth from 21 to 27 feet," said Benjamin Fox, the governor's spokesman.

Sanford visited the port Tuesday for a tour and to meet with officials to learn about the port's needs, its import and export rate and potential signs of recovery, Fox said.

He talked to a couple of port officials, and to Carolina-Pacific, a wood briquette company that recently signed a contract with the port.

"He wanted to talk to them and see what options were available," Fox said. "In many ways [dredging] is a federal issue."

The port needs about $8 million to finish dredging its channel to its federally authorized depth of 27 feet.

Federal funding for maintenance dredging for the port has been minimal during the past several years.

The port was hit hard by the recession and has faced declining tonnage and cargo since 2006. Federal funding is based on tonnage. Not enough tonnage equals not enough funding.

Sanford's visit to the port was a last-minute addition to the governor's itinerary while traveling along the Grand Strand on Tuesday. While on the Grand Strand, Sanford also stopped in Myrtle Beach and later at a Murrells Inlet Rotary Club meeting.

Tuesday's visit was the first time the governor had visited the port in several years.

"We continue to believe that ports are going to be one of the ways out of our current economic condition," Fox said.

The S.C. State Ports Authority has several projects in the works that are expected to bring additional jobs into the state.

Work is under way on the first phase of a new three-berth, 280-acre terminal at the former Charleston naval base set to be completed by 2013. There also are plans to open a bistate port in Jasper County in a partnership with Georgia.

Sanford encouraged port officials and residents to continue advocating for the port.

U.S. Rep. Henry Brown has long been a supporter of the port of Georgetown. Brown has helped to secure about $1.1 million this year and said he will continue to work with lawmakers to push for more funding.

"Just today, I impressed upon the civilian head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jo-Ellen Darcy, the critical need to put more funding towards this crucial project during a congressional hearing," Brown said in a statement. "In doing so, I won the support of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar who promised his assistance. I welcome those who share my commitment to the Port of Georgetown and look forward to all future efforts to keep the port viable."

The S.C. Ports Authority has four potential clients that could bring in more than $4 million in revenue, but the contracts are contingent upon dredging, according to the Ports Authority.

A continued contract with the port's most recent client, Carolina-Pacific, is also contingent upon dredging. The deal with the wood briquette manufacturer is expected to move 60,000 tons of cargo through the port of Georgetown, generating about $1 million in revenue for the ports authority and about 10 to 12 jobs in the first year with potential for more growth. Once the company increases its cargo, the port will need to have the depth to move its ships.

The Georgetown Economic Alliance is working with Coastal Carolina University to do an economic impact analysis of the port.