Private-sector investment in North Carolina recently brought a 330-acre terminal online at a time when container storage and logistics remain critical.
The Carolina Connector (CCX) outside Rocky Mount, N.C., was under construction long before the stifling supply chain bottlenecks occurred. The facility is keenly positioned along the Eastern Seaboard to serve as a hub for containers that require truck and rail transfers.
“The supply chain issue is not going to be solved by the Carolina Connector,” Carolinas Gateway Partnership official Norris Tolson reportedly said. “But it’s going to be a great asset to help businesses in Eastern North Carolina, and all over North Carolina, overcome some of the issues around the supply chain.”
The privately-funded economic development outfit secured more than 700 acres abutting the CSX mainline. The Florida-based CSX railroad company owns and operates the Carolina Connector. However, the N.C. Department of Transportation ponied up $118 million to build roads, bridges, rail sidings, parking, and other traditional infrastructure. CSX reportedly invested more than $40 million into developing the first intermodal hub in Eastern North Carolina.
“CSX appreciates our partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and we thank the state for its contribution toward making this project possible. The CCX terminal is a demonstration of how CSX is creating sustainable supply chain solutions for customers by expanding our intermodal network in Eastern North Carolina and connecting to the busy I-95 corridor. We are proud that this project will be a catalyst for economic growth and development in the region,” CSX chief legal officer Nathan Goldman reportedly said.
The facility comes online at a time when storage space across that country is in short supply. Southern California warehouses are reportedly full, and warehouse availability recently plummeted below 6 percent nationally. With the CCX up and running, unnecessary logjams can be avoided in the Mid-Atlantic states.
“Millions of people live within 120 miles of this terminal. The Carolina Connector will spur business development, divert thousands of trucks off highways and provide much-needed jobs in this fast-growing region,” NCDOT Secretary Eric Boyette reportedly said. “We know that a good transportation system is a backbone of a good economy. Projects like this Carolina Connector are part of that logistical network that we will need to keep our economy competitive not only now but in the future.”
The Florida transportation outfit also operates an intermodal truck-rail terminal in Charlotte and enjoys a footprint in Greensboro. The Carolina Connector possesses the ability to transfer upwards of 110,000 containers annually. Its 83-foot-tall electric cranes are operated remotely for improved workplace safety. The CSX company currently owns 380 acres of unused land, and investors have reportedly been champing at the bit to erect warehouses.
Sources: ttnews.com, newsobserver.com
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