Norfolk Southern launches daily rail link from Charleston port to Huntsville
Norfolk Southern launched a daily rail service from the Port of Charleston to Huntsville, Alabama, on September 11 to expand rail access to Southeast markets. The service aims to extend the port’s reach to markets in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, where about 25% of SC Ports’ cargo currently moves by rail.
Customers can transfer containers at intermodal hubs in Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Nashville, Charlotte, and Louisville for faster connectivity to inland destinations. Last year SC Ports finished a $55 million expansion of its Inland Port Greer facility, which raised cargo capacity by 50% and added 9,000 feet of rail track to accommodate longer trains. In August the port agreed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study deepening the channel at its North Charleston terminal, a move that could support larger vessels and speed up logistics. Norfolk Southern already runs a daily and overnight train to Inland Port Greer, located along the I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Charlotte.
“Deepening the channel could help drive cargo growth and ensure expedited logistics for shippers,” Micah Mallace, President and CEO of SC Ports said.
SC Ports has been investing in infrastructure to boost competitiveness, including the recent $55 million Inland Port Greer expansion. Norfolk Southern already provides a daily and overnight rail service to Inland Port Greer, linking the port to the Atlanta‑Charlotte corridor. The new Huntsville service builds on those links to reach deeper into the Southeast interior.
What we know
Norfolk Southern is now offering a direct rail service from the Port of Charleston, South Carolina, to Huntsville, Alabama, to expand rail access to Southeast markets, according to a Sept. 11 press release.
Twenty-five percent of volume from SC Ports is moved by rail, per the release.
Last year, the port completed a $55 million expansion of its Inland Port Greer, per the release.
The expansion helped increase cargo capacity by 50% and added 9,000 feet of additional rail to handle longer trains more efficiently.
Last month, the port signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate where it can deepen the channel at its North Charleston terminal.