WSJ says Charleston Port slipping fast; P&C says it's not like you heard

Image by Flickr user leslie.marieImage by 20081209-port-of-charleston.jpg

After the Port of Charleston's slipping standing was highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article, and their rather depressing graph of port traffic, local and former Port of New Orleans president/CEO Ron Brinson responded in The Post and Courier with a rather dissenting opinion.

In part:
The most regrettable line in the Journal article is "Charleston has been losing market share to more innovative and aggressive East Coast ports, particularly Savannah. ..." That's a big-fisted punch at the Charleston maritime community and South Carolina — and I don't agree. Charleston has been losing market share for many reasons, but voids of innovation and solid performance are not among them.

Brinson goes on to suggest a lack of support from South Carolina's government is causing much damage to Charleston's ports, and a poor attitude from the port itself isn't helping matters. -- But dropping container traffic in Charleston while Savannah is growing isn't a pretty thing no matter how you dice it.

Go take a read.