WINSTON WEEKLY[1]

Vol. 2, No. 15

April 14, 2024

POWER OF PORTS

I had the good fortune of spending time at the Port of Charleston in South Carolina with my late grandfather, Allison Bayles, years ago. His love of the sea captured my interest in the power of ports at an early age. Charleston was one of my grandfather’s favorite ports, in part because of its proximity to Pawleys Island.

Charleston’s port is part of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), “the state’s most significant economic asset.” www.scspa.com. The SCPA includes the Port of Charleston, Inland Port Greer, and Inland Port Dillon. The SCPA is the eighth largest US container port, supporting one in nine jobs in South Carolina. In February 2024, the SCPA navigated more than 15,500 vehicles.

Barbara Melvin is the President and CEO of the SCPA, the first woman to lead a top ten US container port. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in international relations and a master’s in business administration in global supply chain. She was the 2014 National Transportation Week Leader of the Year, the 2014 Charleston Women in International Trade Woman of the Year, the 2021 South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance Woman of the Year, the 2023 Outstanding Woman in Supply Chain Award, and much more.

While many of us are familiar with the TSA, less familiar may be the Maritime Transportation Security Administration (MTSA). The MTSA amended the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 to establish greater security for US seaports. Seaport careers include mechanical and electrical engineers, managers, technicians, barge maintenance, terminal truck drivers, fabricators, medics, and maritime police.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Consider the impact of ports around the United States and around the world. Where do your shoes come from? What about a couch? A chair? Many items may come through a port before arriving at a store or delivered to your home. Can you find the busiest port, and/or the top port in Canada? If you could visit a port, which one?

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[1] Copyright April 14, 2024. Please feel free to share with the appropriate attribute. Winston Weekly is a weekly Sunday newsletter by Alysen Bayles, Founder of Bayles and Bruce. “Learn, live, love, read.” Alysen’s views are her own.