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Greer, SC, Inland Port Offers New Shipping Opportunities

The Port of Charleston has deepened its reach in the state more than 200 miles inland. The South Carolina Ports Authority, the port's owner, opened the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer in fall 2013.

By Betsy Williams on January 8, 2014

The Port of Charleston has deepened its reach in the state more than 200 miles inland. The South Carolina Ports Authority, the port’s owner, opened the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer in fall 2013.

The SCIP, within a day’s drive of 94 million consumers, is served by every mode of transport. Norfolk Southern provides daily rail service to the Port of Charleston. Greer is on Interstate 85, halfway between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, and close to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

The SCIP is especially attractive to companies trying to grow their e-commerce fulfillment operations. They can easily bring in shipments from overseas, break them down at the SCIP and ship them via overnight air.

In September 2013, the BMW Manufacturing Co. announced it would move its export operation to a new building in Greer. The company wants to expand its operations to serve emerging markets such as Russia, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Egypt, where there is heavy demand for the company’s X3 Sports Activity Vehicles. BMW expects similar response to its latest X5 model. At 413,000 square feet, the new facility will more than double the space of the automaker’s current export operation – with room for further expansion.

In addition, the location near the inland port will let BMW re-use import containers for export, avoiding empty containers. And BMW will be able to move most of it shipments destined for export to the Port of Charleston via rail, avoiding interstate traffic. BMW expects the Greer facility to be ready for operation in January 2014.

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