Less cargo calls for S.C. Ports Authority to look for cuts

MORNING HEADLINES | The S.C. State Ports Authority (SPA) on Tuesday reported a 4.6% drop in the number of cargo containers of all sizes in fiscal 2026, which ended June 30.

With cargo volumes and revenue on the decline, port P resident and CEO Micah Mallace said the authority is being “much more selective” about the capital projects it takes on and has slowed construction of a near-dock rail yard.

“We’re honing the projects that we will invest in, and we’re making sure that those projects are directly tied to incremental revenue generation or cost minimization,” Mallace said, according to the S.C. Daily Gazette. “The team has really exemplified discipline around capital deployment.”

The SPA also announced Tuesday its pick of Patrick McCrory as its new chief operating officer. McCrory recently served as president and CEO of Palmetto Railways and will now lead the 500-person operations team at SC Ports.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed in Charleston County by a retired Mount Pleasant businessman and long-time public records activist accuses the SPA of disregarding state laws on open meetings and public records in its handling of a nearly $1 million severance package for the maritime agency’s former director.

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U.S. SENATE: Graham admits in debate that ‘national security is not my thing.’ GOP Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., declined to answer a question about Taiwan and the South China Sea during a debate Tuesday night, saying national security is “not my thing.” The comment set off titters in the pundit universe mesmerized by an Aug. 25 GOP runoff for her brother’s space on the Republican ballot.

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CALENDAR: How to find cool things to do around town

Our online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area. Just click on “Events” above at right under the black toolbar. You’ll be amazed at what you find.