South Carolina State Ports Authority Takes Precautions to Protect BMW Exports Against Charleston Flooding
In a bid to safeguard BMW vehicles stored at the flood-prone Columbus Street Terminal along the Cooper River in Charleston, the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SPA) is implementing robust measures to prevent water damage during heavy rainfall and king tides. This follows the unfortunate incident where hundreds of vehicles were wrecked due to flooding at the Union Pier Terminal, barely two miles away, in December last year.
A Strategic Action Plan
The SPA and BMW have not commented on any water damage to the German maker’s vehicles, manufactured in Upstate and exported from the Columbus Street Terminal. However, they have indicated swift action to prevent such an occurrence.
To this end, the SPA board has greenlit nearly $2 million for paving 18 acres at the Leatherman Terminal, situated at the former Navy base in North Charleston. This site will serve as an alternate storage area for the BMW vehicles, especially when there are warnings of severe storms. The location is meant to offer better protection as it is positioned behind the existing container yard, a safer distance from the waterfront.
The backup storage area is scheduled to be operational by the end of May. A report by the University of Tennessee suggests that the 18-acre parking lot could hold between 2,700 to 2,900 vehicles based on its layout.
Additional Protective Measures
This preventive initiative is amongst a series of measures that the SPA has taken to protect export vehicles stored at Leatherman and Columbus Street. The agency has installed tide valves and introduced pumps to aid in quick water evacuation from the peninsula terminal’s parking area. Moreover, SPA has conducted a comprehensive survey of the site to pinpoint flood-prone locations and marked them with paint to avoid vehicle storage in those areas. Portable AquaDams are also part of the strategic plan to control and divert floodwater from reaching the vehicles.
Major Stakeholders’ Efforts
Expressing her views on the development, Barbara Melvin, SPA’s president and CEO, stated, “The state has invested a great deal in the automotive sector, and automakers have invested significantly in growing operations here.” As a critical link in the supply chain for the automotive industry, the SPA’s investment in port infrastructure is a proactive move to support the manufacturers’ global supply chains, she noted.
BMW, on their part, expressed readiness to tackle any adverse weather events and lauded the lasting partnership with SPA. The German automotive giant stated that they looked forward to enhancing their collaboration, especially in these crucial times.
