MSC Begins Asia-Suez Service in Charleston

- MSC’s “Golden Gate Service” (GGS) has made its inaugural call to the Port of Charleston, linking the US southeast’s deepest port with China, SE Asia and the Middle East.

The first vessel in the service to call at Charleston’s Wando Welch Terminal was the 1,065-foot-long MSC Rita which has a maximum draft of 47.5 feet (14.5 m).

The GGS port rotation includes Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan and Yantian, China; Singapore; Salalah, Oman; Suez Canal transit; New York; Baltimore; Norfolk; Charleston; Freeport, Bahamas; Suez Canal transit; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Singapore; Chiwan; Hong Kong.

Connecting services through the GGS offer extensive links to ports in India, the Red Sea and the Middle East. The service also provides a 21-day transit time outbound from Charleston to Jeddah.

The GGS consolidates MSC’s already strong presence in the Port of Charleston: in 2009, MSC and the SCSPA signed a new five-year extension to the carrier’s contract, lengthening its commitment in Charleston to 2017.

(Source: Container Management)