Charleston connects international ocean freight to Southeast distribution through the Port of Charleston, which handled 2.5 million TEUs in 2024 via a 52-foot-deep harbor - the deepest on the U.S. East Coast. Nine fulfillment providers serve the region's aerospace, automotive, and consumer goods supply chains.
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Los Angeles is the largest fulfillment metro in the US, anchored by the San Pedro Bay port complex which handles 40% of all US containerized imports. The I-710 freight corridor connects the ports to thousands of warehouses across the LA basin and into the Inland Empire.
Warehouse costs in the LA metro run $13-16/sq ft annually, higher than the Inland Empire but closer to the ports. Brands importing from Asia-Pacific suppliers benefit from same-day drayage. Ground shipping from LA reaches 60 million consumers within 1-2 days.
The Port of Charleston processed approximately 2.5 million TEUs in 2024, a figure that continues to grow as infrastructure investments expand capacity across the harbor. A 52-foot channel depth - the deepest on the East Coast - allows fully loaded post-Panamax vessels to call without tidal restrictions. The Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, which opened in 2021, added over 700,000 TEUs of annual throughput capacity, and a recent $23 million wharf extension further increased vessel handling at peak times.
Inland connectivity sets Charleston apart from other Southeast ports. The SC Inland Port Greer, located 212 miles northwest near Greenville and Spartanburg, extends Charleston's reach via Norfolk Southern rail. Import containers discharged in Charleston in the morning arrive at the Greer rail terminal by the next day, six days a week. This rail bridge serves BMW's Spartanburg manufacturing plant - the automaker's largest global production facility - along with hundreds of Upstate suppliers.
Charleston's industrial base includes Boeing's 787 Dreamliner final assembly plant in North Charleston (7,000 employees), Volvo's first U.S. manufacturing facility in Ridgeville (3,290 workers), and Mercedes-Benz Vans operations. These anchor employers attract a deep tier of parts suppliers and logistics providers, keeping warehousing demand steady. Industrial rents in the Charleston metro average roughly $8 to $10 per square foot NNN, with newer Class A distribution buildings near the port commanding premiums.
Compared to Jacksonville, which handled 1.34 million TEUs in 2024, Charleston offers nearly double the container volume and a deeper channel. Jacksonville counters with lower land costs and proximity to Florida consumers, but Charleston's rail network and inland port system give it an edge for companies distributing across the Southeast and Midwest.
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Learn How We Vet Providers →Industrial warehouse space in metro Charleston averages roughly $8 to $10 per square foot annually on a triple-net basis. Newer Class A distribution facilities near the port terminals tend to run higher, while older buildings in North Charleston and Summerville offer rates at the lower end of that range.
Charleston handled approximately 2.5 million TEUs in 2024 through the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet. That channel depth allows fully loaded large vessels to call without tidal delays, an advantage over shallower ports like Jacksonville (1.34 million TEUs) and many mid-Atlantic alternatives.
Aerospace, automotive, and advanced manufacturing generate significant warehousing activity. Boeing assembles 787 Dreamliners in North Charleston, Volvo produces SUVs in Ridgeville, and BMW ships through the port from its Spartanburg plant. Consumer goods importers and e-commerce brands also use the region as a Southeast distribution node.
Inland Port Greer is a rail-served intermodal facility 212 miles northwest of Charleston, connected by Norfolk Southern. Containers move overnight from the port to Greer, near Greenville and Spartanburg. It extends Charleston's reach into the Upstate and Midwest without requiring long-haul trucking from the coast.
Charleston offers nearly double Jacksonville's container volume and a deeper harbor, plus inland rail connections that extend distribution into the Carolinas and Midwest. Jacksonville provides lower warehouse costs and direct access to Florida's consumer base. Companies shipping imported goods across the broader Southeast generally benefit more from Charleston's port infrastructure.
