Charleston

Size limits

Draught 14.3m, LOA 368.04m, Beam 51.2m, 150,000DWT.

Water density

1015-1025.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

The harbour has a maintained depth of 13.7m (45ft) at MLT throughout the main shipping channel and 14.3m (47ft) in the entrance channel. However, 1.5m (5ft) to 1.82m (6ft) tidal lift provides even deeper access for several hours during the day before and after High Tide. A dredging project is nearing its end to make these channels deeper.

Average range 1.5m-1.8m; average current 1.5kts.

At Lightbuoy 'C' (23°37.1'N 079°35.5'W), the tidal stream is rotary, turning clockwise. The maximum rate of the ingoing streams occurs about 3.75 hours before HW at Charleston, when it sets about 270°at an average rate of 0.25kts. The maximum rate of the outgoing stream occurs about 3 hours after HW at Charleston.

Between the jetties the tidal streams generally follow the direction of the channel near its axis. Outside the entrance it branches from the main outgoing stream setting through the openings between the outer part of the jetties and the coast at a rate of 2kts. The maximum rate of the outgoing stream is about 3kts between the outer part of the jetties, and between Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter (32°45.0'N 079°52.05'W).

At the entrance to Charleston Harbour, between the jetties, slack water before ingoing stream occurs about 5.5 hours before HW at Charleston, slack water before the outgoing stream, about 0.5 hours after HW there.

The outgoing stream in South Channel attains a maximum rate of 2kts. The rate of the ingoing stream is less than the outgoing, depending on the flow in the river caused by precipitation.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

Charleston is approached on the alignment of leading lights through Fort Sumpter Range and entered between Fort Moultrie on the SW end of Sullivans Island and Cummings Point (32°44.5'N 079°52.0'W), the N end of Morris Island 1nm SW.

The Inner harbour has been dredged to a depth of 13.7m MLW and the entrance channel to 14.3m.

The channel has a minimum width of 152m, maximum 304m, with a turning basin of 426m. The North Charleston, Wando and Columbus Street turning basins are also 426m wide.

Port limits

The limits inside which navigation Rules for United States Inland Waters apply are as follows:

A line formed by the submerged North Jetty from the shore to the W end of the North Jetty. A line drawn from across the seaward extremity of the Charleston Harbour jetties. A line drawn from the W end of the South Jetty across the S entrance to Charleston Harbour to shore on a line formed by the submerged South Jetty.

Anchorages

A small boat anchorage is located on the Ashley River to the western side of Charleston's peninsula.

Contact the SCSPA Harbour Master for additional information on anchorages.

Restrictions

BRIDGES: Lower Cooper River Bridge airdraught 56.6m MHW.

Upper Cooper River Bridge (North Charleston Terminal only), airdraught 45.7m MHW.

This information is important not only for research and conservation purposes but for the safety of other vessels in the areas where such incidents occur.

Tugs

Compulsory and available throughout 24 hours.

Vessels bound for Charleston are met N of Shutes Folly Island, situated 3.0nm WNW of the entrance to the harbour, or if bound for N Charleston off the S end of the town.

Requirements should be made well in advance through the agents.

Charts and publications

BA 2809, 8255, 2803, 2806, 2864, 2865. Admiralty Pilot NP69, NP286(5).

NOAA 11524, 11526. US Coast Pilot 6.

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Send ETA to the South Carolina State Authority (SCSPA) Harbour Master's office.

Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.

Documents

Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.

Health

No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information.

Customs and immigration

The port has Customs and Immigration staff, departments and facilities.

Notices and regulations

Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.

Port State Control here: US Coast Guard.

Foreign ships are examined by the US Coast Guard. File the Advance Notice of Arrival 96 hours ahead (33 CFR 160).

ISPS

ISPS Designated Authority: United States Coast Guard, Office of Compliance. Address: 2100 Second St, SW, Washington DC, 20593, USA. Tel: +1 202 267 2978. Fax: +1 202 267 4858. Email: [email protected]. For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www2.imo.org/ISPSCode.

Repairs

Available, from private companies.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available.

Medical

Charleston's downtown medical complex has 3 hospitals.

Transport

Nearest airport: Charleston International, 16km.

Nearest railway: Rail Service Charleston is served by two major carriers, Norfolk Southern and CSX. The South Carolina Public Railways Commission handles inter terminal switching.

Working hours

Throughout 24 hours.

Where it is

The port of Charleston is located in the centre of the US Eastern Seaboard in the State of South Carolina.

The port

Charleston is the deepest harbour on the South East Coast of the USA with a maintained depth of 13.7m (45ft). Upon completion of its project to take depths to 15.8m (52ft), the port will be the deepest harbour on the East Coast. Facilities are readily accessible by day or night in clear weather, naturally protected by barrier islands on either side of a wide entrance channel; an excellent harbour of refuge. The port has five terminals and deals extensively with container traffic, breakbulk cargo and cruise passengers. Preparation work has already started on a sixth major container terminal. There are also plans for a three mile extension of the Entrance channel, dredged to 16.5m.

Following the opening of the New Locks at the Panama Canal, the port has experienced an increase in the number of larger vessels using its facilities.

Traffic

Approx 1,000,000t of cargo, 2,600,000TEU, 1,800 vessels and 225,500 passengers handled annually.

What time zone is Charleston in?

Local time at Charleston is UTC−5. Clocks go to UTC−4 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−5 on 7 Nov 2027.

What is the maximum draft at Charleston?

The deepest berth listed is at North Charleston Terminal: 13.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Charleston?

1015-1025.

Which load line zone is Charleston in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Charleston?

Port State Control at Charleston: US Coast Guard.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Charleston?

The UN/LOCODE of Charleston is USCHS.

What crews who called at Charleston say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.

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