Ramar Transportation
CHS · SC

Port of Charleston

Top-10 US container port — deep water, ULCV-ready, growing battery + EV lane

port brief

Charleston is the dominant container port between Norfolk and Savannah, ranked consistently in the top 10 U.S. container ports by volume. The port is operated by South Carolina Ports Authority across three terminals: Wando Welch (the largest), North Charleston, and the new Leatherman Terminal opened in 2021 with 52 feet of channel depth — full ULCV capability.

For Ramar customers, Charleston is the primary South Carolina drayage origin for chemical, battery, and EV-component freight. Volvo's Charleston-area plant, the BMW Spartanburg supply chain, and a fast-growing battery manufacturing footprint (Redwood Materials, Scout Motors, others) make Charleston a heavy packaged hazmat lane.

Charleston is also Class 1 capable for commercial freight — including Class 1.4 fireworks distribution and certain Class 1.1 commercial explosive lanes — though Class 1 ammunition export typically routes north to MOTSU rather than through Charleston commercial.

at a glance

150 mi
Drayage radius
Yes
Class 1 capable
52 ft
Channel depth
3.5h
From Ramar HQ
drive time
Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA)
Customs status
FTZCBP-bondedin-bond-transfer
Terminal operators
  • SCPA — Wando Welch Terminal
  • SCPA — North Charleston Terminal
  • SCPA — Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal (Leatherman Terminal)
Nearby military
  • Joint Base Charleston
  • Naval Weapons Station Charleston
services at CHS

All six Ramar services run from Charleston

Open the CHS brief on any service to see how that capability operates at this specific port.

OPS·01

Integrated Port Drayage

Port-to-plant under one operator. No broker margin stack, no schedule drift between vendors.

Port Drayage at CHS

OPS·02

Dangerous Goods Transload

Container stuffing, port-side staging, and regulated logistics for Class 1 cargo across Atlantic Coast ports.

Transload at CHS

OPS·03

OTR High Security / Hazmat Transportation

Over-the-road high-security and hazmat transport for ammunition, explosives, and sensitive freight — placard-to-placard accountability.

OTR High Security at CHS

OPS·04

Secure In-Transit Holding

Schedule recovery when shipments can't move. Vessel late, terminal congested, regulatory hold — Ramar holds the load and the chain of custody.

In-Transit Holding at CHS

OPS·05

Ammunition-Grade Containers

Block-and-brace procedures plus direct ammo-grade container sourcing — no third-party broker layer between you and the unit load.

Container Prep at CHS

OPS·06

Integrated Logistics Model

The full chain: drayage + transload + holding + long-haul. One USDOT, one safety record, one chain of custody.

Integrated Model at CHS

OPS·07

Wilmington Fire Marshal Escort

City-permitted DG drayage to the Port of Wilmington with Fire Marshal escort. We replace the shipping-agent middle layer.

Fire Marshal Escort at CHS

OPS·08

Licensed Brokerage

Ramar's MC 300208 brokerage authority extends our reach when our own assets aren't available — but the customer relationship stays with us.

Brokerage at CHS
top industries at CHS

What we move through Charleston

COMMERCIAL CLASS 1

Mining & Aggregates

Class 1.1 commercial explosives logistics for quarries, mining operations, and aggregate producers — daily-delivery reliability, 49 CFR chain of custody to mine-site magazines.

DEFENSE

DOD / Prime Contractors

Hazmat logistics for DOD prime contractors and direct-DOD freight — SDVOSB set-aside qualifying, MIL-STD container prep, MOTSU coordination.

port chs

Charleston — Frequently Asked

Why Charleston for battery freight?
Charleston is the gateway port for Volvo's Charleston-area plant, Scout Motors in Blythewood, BMW Spartanburg supply chain, and announced Redwood Materials capacity. Class 9 lithium-battery and EV-component drayage is a heavy and growing lane.
Does Charleston handle Class 1 explosives?
Charleston handles commercial Class 1.4 fireworks distribution and select Class 1.1 commercial lanes. Military Class 1 ammunition typically routes through MOTSU at ILM rather than Charleston commercial.
What's at Leatherman Terminal?
Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal opened in 2021 as Charleston's newest container facility, with 52 feet of channel depth — full ULCV capability. On-dock rail and Phase 2 expansion underway.