South Carolina port to double capacity what it means for the supply chain.

The S.C. Ports Authority along with elected leaders and community partners celebrated an expansion of the state's railroad system with a ceremony on Friday. They also touted the next phase of expansion that will double cargo capacity at Inland Port Greer.

As one the eight largest inland ports in the country, Inland Port Greer is a rail-served inland port facility in the Upstate. Owned and operated by S.C. Ports, the port extends the Port of Charleston's reach by 212 miles, putting goods that much closer to other parts of the country.

The ongoing expansion of Inland Port Greer supports the supply chains of port-dependent businesses and drives economic growth in the Upstate, according to SCPA.

"Nine years into operations, we are thrilled to be expanding the cargo capacity and rail capabilities at Inland Port Greer to better serve our customers' supply chains," S.C. Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said. "We are proud to play a role in supporting Upstate companies' success. The growth of Inland Port Greer has truly been on the fast track."

Inland Port Greer opened in 2013 with BMW Manufacturing Co. as the launch customer. The port quickly surpassed initial design capacity estimates, according to an SCPA news release. In fiscal year 2022, Inland Port Greer handled more than 150,000 rail lifts meaning 150,000 containers were moved on or off Norfolk Southern trains, the release said.

"The bustling logistics hub now moves cargo for numerous companies, including BMW, Michelin, Adidas, Eastman, First Solar, TTI Floorcare and Visual Comfort & Co.," the release said.

Inland Port Greer operates 24/7 and runs similarly to a container terminal, with operators moving containers on and off trains instead of ships.

"Before this facility opened, one truck driver could go to Charleston and back in a day," said Inland Port Greer Terminal Manager Will Angelich. "Now that same truck driver can come here five to 10 times a day to load and unload containers. Inland Port Greer provides efficiencies and reliability for companies' supply chains. I am very proud of our team of 60-plus people for their dedication to keeping the supply chain fluid."

The consistent growth of port customers spurred the expansion of Inland Port Greer, while global supply chain challenges reinforced the need for more capacity, the release said.

The first phase of expansion was building an additional rail processing track and two rail storage tracks within the terminal. The addition of...