A logistical haven in the northeast corner of South Carolina just got even better with the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) set to open its newest inland port facility, Inland Port Dillon, in April.

Just a mile from I-95, the perfectly located Inland Port Dillon offers direct access to the Port of Charleston via railway, which in turn opens up an abundance of opportunities for international markets. Additionally, the port is located near the junction of mainline north/south and westbound rail lines – operated by CSX – servicing markets in the Northeastern U.S. and Mid-Western centers like Chicago and is a mere 30 minutes’ drive from I-20 serving markets as far west as Dallas.

Inland Port Dillon will serve as a point on the CSX inter-model network. The facility will ground containers, have an adjacent chassis yard and will be a point for termination and origination of empty containers. Rail cars will be double stacked with containers and sent to and from the inland port daily resulting in a reduction of transportation costs for companies located in the vicinity of the inland port facility.

Those who utilize Inland Port Dillon will enjoy the convenience of scheduling shipping to and from the port in the same manner that they already schedule shipping to and from the Port of Charleston. Empty containers and full containers for import or export may be received at the inland port terminal as well. This facility will utilize the latest available technology to securely track and move cargo ensuring cargo security and on time shipments.

For international companies seeking to locate in the U.S., but whom refuse to pay the high costs of land near a sea port, the more than 3,400 acre Carolina’s I-95 Super Park adjacent to the port is an opportunity to have the same luxuries at a lower cost. The site is an ideal location for trans-load, cross dock, distribution and manufacturing facilities that require a near port location. It offers an average land cost of $15,000 per acre, and a site that is fully equipped with transmission and distribution grade electricity, transmission grade natural gas, an excess of water and wastewater infrastructure capacity and a telecommunications infrastructure.

The North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) region of South Carolina – which is where Inland Port Dillon is located –also offers an average land price of $17,000 per acre at nearly 100 different industrial sites throughout the region. There are also more than 30 industrial buildings available throughout the region with an average price of $16.76 per square foot.

With a population of nearly 2.2 million and an available workforce of nearly 1 million within 60 miles of the region’s geographical center, NESA has a robust labor pool to draw from. Employers use the region’s productive workforce to churn out all-terrain vehicles, pharmaceuticals, food additives, frozen meals, steel, packaging products, and much more. The region is home to companies that engage in world-wide distribution, refurbish airplanes, and are on the cutting edge of their highly specialized fields.

• Strategically located at a railroad “T” intersection providing access to/from Charleston, SC and a gateway to Mid- Western markets such as Chicago

• Just a 5 mile drive to I-95 Exit 190

• Import parts move via overnight train from port to door. This will mitigate trucking cost and carbon footprint associated with other inland options.

• Proximity to the port allows for this area to benefi t from lower international inbound cost as compared with noncoastal states which will have a much higher cost to move product to.

• The Port’s intermodal yard in Dillon will be fl exible on storage terms. A company will have less need for their own drop yard and the investment associated with it.

• Containers will move from the intermodal facility to a facility in the park via county roads that allow yard trucks. This will mitigate the cost associated with using over the road trucks and drivers.

• CSX plans to offer domestic intermodal. Thus, sourcing of domestic product will benefit from intermodal rate instead of a truck only environment.


NESA region, or to learn how to locate here
contact NESA Director of Operations Ronald Carter at

843-661-1206 or by email at rcarter@nesasc.org