SC Ports Named to Environmental Best List

Charleston, SC - The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) has been named to an industry best list of organizations "pushing the sustainability envelope" within the transportation sector.

Inbound Logistics selected global companies and organizations making measurable progress and "leading by example" for its 75 Green Supply Chain Partners list. Only six ports in the nation, including just two port authorities on the East Coast, were selected for the honor.

"Our efforts to reduce emissions through new and upgraded equipment, better fuels and replacing the oldest trucks that serve our port are leading among ports in the region," said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SCPA. "We know that green efforts not only make good business sense, but they are also key to being a productive and responsible part of the local community."

Starting with a pool of more than 200 transportation and logistics companies, the publication's selection process took into account an organization's involvement in three areas: public-private partnerships, corporate sustainability initiatives and collaborative customer-driven projects.

The publication cited the SCPA's commitment to reducing air emissions, including electrification and repowering of on-terminal equipment and its first-in-the region truck replacement program, which aims to eliminate the oldest, dirtiest trucks from the local private-sector truck fleet.

Earlier this year, the SCPA released the results of its latest air emissions inventory, which analyzed emissions of six criteria pollutants from trucks, trains, cargo-handling equipment, ships and tugs and spanned an approximately 2,500-square-mile area. In a five-year period, emissions related to the SCPA's cargo-handling equipment demonstrated double-digit reductions for all criteria pollutants, including a 60 percent reduction in NOx, a 57 percent reduction in particulate matter (PM) and a 99 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2). The report also found that emissions from trucks calling the SCPA's facilities similarly have made major air-quality strides, with reductions in all six criteria pollutants.

Several other companies that do business in and around the SCPA's terminals, including ocean carriers, trucking companies, third-party logistics providers and others, were also named to the list in the magazine's June issue.

Inbound Logistics is the leading trade magazine targeted toward business logistics and supply chain managers. The magazine's editorial mission is to help companies of all sizes better manage corporate resources by speeding and reducing inventory and supporting infrastructure, and better matching demand signals to supply lines.

The magazine's G75 special section is available online.

About the South Carolina Ports Authority

The South Carolina Ports Authority, established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston and Georgetown, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, port operations facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina and nearly $45 billion in economic activity each year. For more information, visit www.scspa.com.