Wando Welch Terminal Upgrade Completed With Marine Structures’ “Buy America” Bollards
Photo via South Carolina Port Authority
Our American made maritime bollards are now at the South Carolina Port Authority due to a Buy American need for bollards. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the South Carolina Port Authority (SCPA) $10.8 million in a TIGER (Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery) grant to upgrade the Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant, SC in 2014. The upgrade was due to the influx of larger ships calling on the Port of Charleston and the east coast of the United States. The improvement project included but wasn’t limited to strengthening the wharf, replacing the fender systems, mooring bollards, and adding larger cargo cranes.
The project began in spring 2015 and recently was completed in May 2018. The SCPA contracted Cape Romain Contractors to execute the over $38 million dollar project and Marine Structures was awarded the bid to provide the American made mooring bollards. We provided the AVL.125.1 and AVL.200.1 series of maritime bollards to complete the project upgrade.
Many ports in the southeast are performing upgrades as shippers shift to the post-Panamax class of ships, which are ships too long or wide to go through the prior dimensions of the now widened Panama Canal. The larger shipping companies are switching to these larger vessels to save on costs shipping overseas and many ports are now having to upgrade in order to remain competitive.
After the completion of the Wando Welch Terminal upgrade, SCPA reported a record month for May 2018 and the second-highest month of container traffic in the port’s history. This increase was due to the fact that the SCPA could now accept ships 14,000 TEU or above. They also had a record number of containers moved as well during May 2018.
Marine Structures was excited to be included in this project and provide all of their mooring bollards made in the United States. If you next project needs American made mooring bollards, please reach out to us today.
