Leatherman Terminal of South Carolina Ports (SC Ports) has garnered recognition as one of the most notable engineering projects in the United States. The American Council of Engineering Companies recently honored Leatherman Terminal as a recipient of the prestigious 2023 Grand Award, positioning it as a finalist for the esteemed 2023 Grand Conceptor Award. This distinction signifies Leatherman Terminal’s remarkable engineering accomplishments throughout the year, as stated in a news release.
Expressing pride in the achievement, Walter Lagarenne, Vice President of Engineering and Facilities at SC Ports, stated, “The SC Ports’ engineering team is delighted to receive this prestigious recognition. Countless individuals from various engineering disciplines collaborated daily on-site to construct this state-of-the-art container terminal. It stands as the epitome of exceptional project coordination, the best I have witnessed throughout my nearly four-decade career.”
Inaugurated in April 2021, Leatherman Terminal represents the first greenfield container terminal to launch in the United States since 2009. SC Ports’ engineering team worked closely with multiple contractors on this landmark project, including HDR Inc., Banks Construction Co., Samet Corp., Camp Romain/McLean A. Joint Venture, and Cape Romain Contractors Inc. Notably, the project was completed within the allocated budget and ahead of schedule, amounting to a remarkable feat in its $1 billion endeavor.
Butch Weber, General Manager of Project Management and Construction at SC Ports, emphasized the challenges associated with constructing a container terminal, underscoring the significance of teamwork and unwavering dedication over many years. Weber stated, “SC Ports takes great pride in adding a world-class port terminal to the East Coast port market.”
Leatherman Terminal, situated along the Cooper River in North Charleston, boasts impressive features, including 169-foot-tall ship-to-shore cranes. In its initial phase, the terminal has the capacity to handle 700,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo and accommodate vessels of up to 20,000 TEUs. Upon its completion, the fully realized terminal will comprise three berths capable of managing a substantial cargo volume of 2.4 million TEUs.
