Trade & Development - Ports

RALEIGH, NC – Growth in North Carolina State Ports activity benefits businesses operating in the state, indicating healthier economic outlooks. In a February 8 press release, N.C. State Ports Authority announced increases in cargo movement for 2011 as compared to 2010. Container movements increased more than 11 percent and general breakbulk cargo increased eight percent during 2011.

According to a February 20 report in The Journal of Commerce, North Carolina’s port growth contributed to an overall East Coast container trade volume increase of over five percent in the first 10 months of 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010. North Carolina’s 14.4 percent trade growth was the highest rate among the top-ten East Coast ports reported. The state was also one of six top-ten East Coast ports that showed 10-month growth in 2011 compared to 2008 in total trade, recording an impressive 52.6 percent increase.

“Especially in these tough economic times, the Ports are committed to serving the heritage industries of North Carolina,” said Jeff Strader, Interim CEO, N.C. State Ports Authority, in the February 8 release. “As our container, bulk and breakbulk shipments grow, we can be confident that businesses in our state will benefit.”

North Carolina’s inland and water port systems provide an infrastructure that supports growth for companies expanding in global markets. The Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City handle containerized bulk and breakbulk cargoes.  Both have access to the N.C. Ports' Intermodal Terminal Network, the first port-operated inland container staging and storage network in the nation. In addition to water ports, the Charlotte Inland Terminal, with C-TPAT Certification, is located at the heart of the manufacturing and distribution sites in the southeast serving the I-77 and I-85 corridors. The Piedmont Triad Inland Terminal serves the I-40/I-85 corridor.