[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SEA-LAND CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF SERVICE IN CHARLESTON

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute to 
the contribution of Sea-Land Services to the city of Charleston over 
the past 30 years. Not only my hometown, but the entire State of South 
Carolina has benefited from the services of this company.
  Sea Land's founder, Malcolm McLean, is the father of modern 
containerization. It was his idea to use standardized boxes for 
shipping goods internationally by sea. By limiting the handling of a 
container's contents, this technique afforded rapid, safe, and 
inexpensive transportation of goods all over the world, thus having a 
profound impact on world trade and economic development. It is a simple 
concept, containerization of goods to be handled only at their origin 
and their destination, but it is one of the more important innovations 
in recent history.
  Since its arrival in 1966, Sea-Land has enjoyed a prosperous 
relationship with the city of Charleston. It has expanded to meet the 
growing trade needs of South Carolinians, and now moves cargo to and 
from more than 35 countries. In 1966, Sea-Land's containership, Gateway 
City, first sailed into Charleston harbor; 30 years later, Charleston's 
container cargo has grown from 80,000 tons to over 8.2 million tons, 
with the value growing from $512 million to more than $20 billion.
  Charleston's efficient inland links and close access to the open sea 
led other steamship companies to follow Sea-Land's lead and make the 
city their south Atlantic base of operations. The trading potential 
offered by these ocean carriers has opened markets around the world for 
U.S. products. Cargo ships provide many opportunities for economic 
development in the regions they serve.
  Due to the relatively transparent movement of goods these days, few 
people realize that 95 percent of our international trade moves by 
ship. This is a tribute to the success of containerization and the 
transportation industry. The effects of Sea-Land's contribution to the 
shipping industry go beyond Charleston to the entire State and the 
Southeast. Manufacturers in 26 States use the extensive shipping 
services in Charleston. The trade relationships that Sea-Land makes 
possible bring countries together across the world.
  The State of South Carolina has enjoyed tremendous economic growth 
recently, attracting interest and investments from all over the globe. 
Without the capital commitments of our ports and ocean carriers like 
Sea-Land, this would not be possible. We appreciate the continued 
commitment Sea-Land has made to our area and look forward to another 30 
prosperous years.

                          ____________________