SC leaders: Report shows Charleston’s importance

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina leaders say a new report from the U.S. Army Corps Engineers shows the importance of deepening the Charleston Harbor.

That report issued Thursday says expanding port capacity in the Gulf and along the Southeast coast will be critical in a new era of larger container ships.

South Carolina State Ports Authority chief Jim Newsome says the report recognizes that 50-foot shipping channels are needed for the larger ships and that deepening the Charleston Harbor is the most economical choice for South Atlantic region.

Wesley Denton, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, says the report confirms Charleston is one of the most critical ports in the region and that the nation needs a merit-based system to pay for the nation’s port expansions.