 | |
| Abbreviation | SCPA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1942 |
| Type | Owner/operator |
| Headquarters | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
President & CEO | Barbara Melvin |
| Website | scspa |
The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, as well as Inland Ports in Greer, South Carolina, and Dillon, South Carolina. Established by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1942,[1] it is authorized and charged with promoting, developing, constructing, equipping, maintaining and operating the harbors and seaports within the State of South Carolina.
An economic development engine for the State, the South Carolina Ports Authority handles international commerce valued at more than $75 billion annually[2] while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. According to a 2023 economic impact study conducted by University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business research economist and professor Dr. Joseph Von Nessen, port operations facilitate 260,000 jobs across South Carolina (one in every 9 jobs) paying 23% higher than the state's average wage. The study attributes nearly $87 billion in annual statewide economic activity to port operations.[3]
SCPA was created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1942 by Act No. 626 (Title 54 - Ports and Maritime Matters in South Carolina Code of Laws) as an instrumentality of the State possessing the powers of a body corporate.[4]
- ^ SC Code of Laws Title 54
- ^ "Cargo Value". SC Ports Authority. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
- ^ "S.C. Ports Economic Impact". SC Ports Authority. p. https://scspa.com/economic-impact/. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
- ^ "Code of Laws Title 54 Ports and Maritime Matters". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-14.