The major ports in the east of the United States are suddenly shut down: cargo flow will be rerouted
- Author:Maintenance network
- Source:Maintenance network
- Release Date:2026-06-30
Recently, the Port of Charleston, an important gateway port on the east coast of the United States, announced that it will suspend operations at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal starting from August 1, 2026, and all related business will be transferred to Wando Welch Terminal and North Charleston Terminal.For Chinese export companies and the freight forwarding industry, this means that some future cargo flows, box pick-up arrangements and inland transportation links destined for the southeastern U.S. market will be adjusted.
01The new terminal with an investment of over 1 billion US dollars has suspended operations.
Leatherman Terminal will be put into operation in 2021, with a total investment of more than US$1 billion. It is one of the most important new container terminals on the East Coast of the United States in recent years.According to an announcement from the South Carolina Port Authority, the main reason for suspending operations is the uncertainty in the current global trade environment and the slowdown in container demand growth.The Port Authority decided to consolidate operations into existing terminals to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.The Hong Kong side also emphasized that this is a phased operational adjustment and is not a permanent closure. It may still be reactivated after market demand recovers in the future.The adjustment also reflects the reality of intensifying competition among U.S. East Coast ports.In recent years, the Port of Savannah, the Port of New York-New Jersey and the Port of Virginia have continued to expand, while the Port of Charleston has chosen to temporarily shrink some of its capacity amid slowing demand.As U.S. import demand changes and the global supply chain is restructured, competition for cargo sources among ports in the eastern United States is further intensifying.
02MSC and other routes will adjust call arrangements
According to SC Daily Gazette, Leatherman Terminal currently mainly serves MSC (Mediterranean Shipping) related routes.After the adjustment is implemented, some services will be canceled and the remaining routes will be transferred to Wando Welch Terminal and North Charleston Terminal.The Port Authority stated that the existing capacity of the two terminals is sufficient to handle the relevant cargo volume.
03What should Chinese export companies pay attention to?
At present, the voyage from China to the Eastern United States generally takes between 25 and 35 days, and the arrival time of recently shipped goods coincides with the August adjustment window.It is recommended to focus on: confirming the latest berthing arrangements of the shipping company; checking the pick-up, return and trailer plans in advance; paying attention to changes in railway and inland transshipment timeliness; and paying attention to the risk of local congestion that may occur during the peak season.Although the Hong Kong side stated that the overall processing capacity is sufficient, there may still be operational run-in and process adjustments in the initial stage of the terminal switch.
04Industry Observation
In essence, this outage is not a lack of port capacity, but an optimization of operations under changes in market demand.The short-term impact is mainly reflected in the logistics connection adjustments brought about by terminal conversion.For cargo owners and freight forwarding companies, in the next two months, they need to focus on shipping company berthing updates and destination port operation arrangements, and make alternative plans in advance to reduce the uncertainty caused by transportation link adjustments.
01The new terminal with an investment of over 1 billion US dollars has suspended operations.
Leatherman Terminal will be put into operation in 2021, with a total investment of more than US$1 billion. It is one of the most important new container terminals on the East Coast of the United States in recent years.According to an announcement from the South Carolina Port Authority, the main reason for suspending operations is the uncertainty in the current global trade environment and the slowdown in container demand growth.The Port Authority decided to consolidate operations into existing terminals to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.The Hong Kong side also emphasized that this is a phased operational adjustment and is not a permanent closure. It may still be reactivated after market demand recovers in the future.The adjustment also reflects the reality of intensifying competition among U.S. East Coast ports.In recent years, the Port of Savannah, the Port of New York-New Jersey and the Port of Virginia have continued to expand, while the Port of Charleston has chosen to temporarily shrink some of its capacity amid slowing demand.As U.S. import demand changes and the global supply chain is restructured, competition for cargo sources among ports in the eastern United States is further intensifying.
02MSC and other routes will adjust call arrangements
According to SC Daily Gazette, Leatherman Terminal currently mainly serves MSC (Mediterranean Shipping) related routes.After the adjustment is implemented, some services will be canceled and the remaining routes will be transferred to Wando Welch Terminal and North Charleston Terminal.The Port Authority stated that the existing capacity of the two terminals is sufficient to handle the relevant cargo volume.
03What should Chinese export companies pay attention to?
At present, the voyage from China to the Eastern United States generally takes between 25 and 35 days, and the arrival time of recently shipped goods coincides with the August adjustment window.It is recommended to focus on: confirming the latest berthing arrangements of the shipping company; checking the pick-up, return and trailer plans in advance; paying attention to changes in railway and inland transshipment timeliness; and paying attention to the risk of local congestion that may occur during the peak season.Although the Hong Kong side stated that the overall processing capacity is sufficient, there may still be operational run-in and process adjustments in the initial stage of the terminal switch.
04Industry Observation
In essence, this outage is not a lack of port capacity, but an optimization of operations under changes in market demand.The short-term impact is mainly reflected in the logistics connection adjustments brought about by terminal conversion.For cargo owners and freight forwarding companies, in the next two months, they need to focus on shipping company berthing updates and destination port operation arrangements, and make alternative plans in advance to reduce the uncertainty caused by transportation link adjustments.