Chimney Sweep in Yonges Island, SC

A multi-generational family-owned business on Yonges Island that’s been in operation for more than a century is getting a literal lift — with an assist from the federal government.

Stevens Towing Co. is one of 31 shipyards nationwide — and the only one in South Carolina — to receive funding this year through a U.S Department of Transportation program.

The company, founded in 1913, plans to use the nearly $1.4 million to reel in an 820-metric ton travelift boat hoist. The device is large enough to lift tall mega-yachts, long cargo vessels or large tugs. It will allow Stevens to modernize the type of work it does in its new zero-emissions yard.

“Logistics and transportation companies are an essential foundation of our country’s economy,” Johnson Stevens, company president, said in a statement. “We are committed to doing all we can to help our country recover from the 2020 pandemic and thrive into the future.”

In addition to hauling cargo and repairing ships, Stevens Towing operates 13 towboats and does contract work with the U.S. military.

The company employs more than 100 workers and operates a youth apprenticeship program that has taught welding skills to 22 students from Charleston-area schools over the past four years. Four of the program’s graduates are now gainfully employed on the Stevens payroll.

The DOT grant program was set up to help small shipyards in 2008. This year, it awarded $19.6 million to 31 companies in 15 states.

Alma matters

University of South Carolina graduates tend to stray not too far from campus, even after they make the inevitable transition to the working world.

That’s one of the findings of a new analysis by a website that targets the pursuit of higher education.

StudySoup, a digital marketplace where course notes, study guides, tutoring services and other academic content are bought and sold, used information posted on LinkedIn about degree-carrying career-seekers from more than 1,700 colleges and universities.

It then selected 25 schools and compiled the top five cities or towns where most of their alumni reside. Graduates without LinkedIn profiles aren’t included.

StudySoup published its analysis June 10, It found that the No. 1 landing spot for USC graduates is Columbia, at 40,354 alumni. It also noted as an aside that the Capital City was ranked No. 5 in WalletHub’s Best Cities to Start a Career in 2021 — one spot ahead of Charleston.

Next up was Charlotte, with 11,530 Gamecock grads, followed by Greenville with 10,431.

The Holy City came in fourth, accounting for nearly 9,900 USC faithful.

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The list was rounded out by greater Atlanta, at 6,447.

Of the 25 schools StudySoup broke out in its report, USC was the only Palmetto State representative.

In the index

One of South Carolina’s newest publicly traded companies is getting a promotion of sorts, Wall Street-style.

Goose Creek-based HireQuest Inc., a national franchisor of temporary staffing services, said it’s expected to join the broad-market Russell 3000 Index after the U.S. stock market opens June 28.

The invitation is based on market capitalization, or the real-time value of all shares available in the public market. HireQuest’s “cap” was about $276 million as of Friday.

Membership in the Russell 3000, which is good for at least a year, guarantees inclusion in at least one other Russell index “as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes,” the Berkeley County company said.

“Inclusion in these indexes is expected to expose HireQuest to new investors, providing broader visibility with the investment community, particularly those who use the Russell indexes to benchmark their portfolios,” CEO Rick Hermanns said in a written statement.

About $10.6 trillion in financial assets are benchmarked against Russell’s U.S. indexes.

HireQuest, which sealed two sizable acquisitions this year, became a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol HQI in 2019 through its merger with Command Center Inc. It has said that its 200-plus franchisee-owned offices in more than 35 states and the District of Columbia provide jobs for 60,000 workers annually, mostly in the blue-collar and services fields.

The company’s Nasdaq-listed stock hit a 52-week high of $22.90 last week.

SPA treatment

The State Ports Authority is said to be trending favorably — at least within the debt market.

Record cargo growth and the strong Southeast economy convinced Moody’s Investors Service to affirm the maritime agency’s bond rating following a review of its financials June 10. The firm’s “A1” designation is given to upper-medium grade investments with low credit risk.

Moody’s said its affirmed rating “reflects the authority’s strong growth trend, driven by favorable demographic and industrial trends in the South Carolina and Southeast economies” as well as the SPA’s “competitive infrastructure and operating model, which supports high productivity and low port charges to users.”

The rating agency also took note of the SPA’s rising debt level. The SPA is at 94 percent of its borrowing capacity, having taken on $1.7 billion in recent years to help shore up Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant, buy new cranes and other equipment and complete the first phase of the new Leatherman Terminal on the old Navy base.

Still, Moody’s said the spending is a long-term positive because it “will enhance” the SPA’s “competitive position in the Southeast port market.”

Moody’s “reaffirmed our rating with a very glowing report,” said ports chief Jim Newsome. “That report is glowing because we really made our forecast.”

The SPA expects to end its fiscal year this week, on June 30, handling a record 1.42 million cargo containers.

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The recent delivery of a Marine Travelift 820CII (820 metric ton/1,804,000 lbs. capacity) Mobile Boat Hoist to the Stevens Towing Company, Inc. shipyard located on Yonges Island in South Carolina will transform marine services by alleviating overwhelmed dry dock schedules in the region.

Founded in the late 1800s as Stevens Brothers with a single boat, Joseph Stanyarne Stevens and William Yates Stevens transported produce and supplies from Edisto Island to Charleston and many points in between. The company has remained in the Stevens family and has continuously grown to meet market demands.

Today, third generation Susan (Groves) Stevens and fourth generation Robert and Johnson Stevens oversee several locations: the Yonges Island Shipyard, Pierside in North Charleston complete with crane support for topside repairs, and Riverbulk Terminal near Edenton, N.C. The company also boasts a fleet of 13 towboats, a U.S. flag Jones Act ship, several 500-ton floating cranes, and more than 50 barges of various sizes. This new 820CII joins a 1980 150-ton Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist already on site at the company’s Yonges Island shipyard location.

“We hope to meet the needs of the dry docking for ship docking tugs in the southeast, as well as passenger boats. Schedules are tight and customers are struggling to get into bigger yards – which makes it difficult to keep up with the demands of vessel schedules. We hope to shorten the dry dock time frame for them,” said Johnson Stevens, President, Stevens Towing

CustomizationsAll Wheel Electronic Steering is a standard feature on the 820CII model, allowing maximum maneuverability and making it incredibly nimble for such a large machine. This 820CII is also customized with additional Hydraulic Sling Adjustment for maximum versatility. The additional sling adjust option will allow crews at Stevens Towing to haul vessels with a wide range of hull designs and configurations – including the barges and tugs in their own fleet.

In addition, the engine compartment and operator’s station were relocated to the top of the lower side beam in order to allow crews to drive a forklift underneath for easier blocking and to protect the machine’s vital components from storm tidal surges.

An LED light package was installed for operator safety in low light conditions or inclement weather. A Cold Start Package and Automatic Variable Throttle Fuel Saver were also included on this machine for longevity and cost savings on maintenance and fuel consumption.

ImpactStevens Towing representatives expect that the addition of this 820CII to their shipyard facility will create better availability for customers in need of services and repairs on their vessels by using space on the hard versus in conjunction with dry docking. They expect to service vessels traveling to Jacksonville and Norfolk areas from the Carolinas and Georgia.

In addition, the Stevens Towing Shipyard facility will now be equipped to haul out 60’ wide barges – making them one of only a few yards in the US with that capability.

“Barges are getting wider – this is in response to new technology in cranes preventing excessive list during unloading. We are very excited to become a regional destination for that kind of service,” Johnson Stevens said.

With 108 years in business and a fourth-generation family owner, it’s hard to find more experience than Stevens Towing has.

Now with offices in both South Carolina and Edenton, N.C., Stevens Towing started out on Yonges Island in South Carolina. The company originally engaged in moving produce and passengers from local barrier islands to the market in Charleston, S.C.

The business has about 225 employees, with about 100 in its shipyard in on Yonges Island, about 80 on boats and the rest in administrative positions, said Benjamin “Bos” Smith, vice president of operations.

On its website, Stevens Towing describes itself as a mid-sized freight business engaging in inland, coastwise and ocean towing, although Smith said inland towing is its primary trade, using both hopper barges and bulk transport. The business has operators along with a fleet of tugs, barges and cranes.

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Twenty hopper barges are based out of its North Carolina site. From there it often receives cargo from ships and delivers it to Albemarle South, an inland run of about 150 miles. Pig iron and direct-produced iron is also delivered to a mill on the Chowan River in North Carolina, just down from Virginia. One of the company’s primary customers is Nucor Steel.

Smith says the company prides itself on its breadth of abilities. Its tugs are always working, he said, along with a project business with heavy-lift cranes. It has 500-ton floating cranes in both Charleston and Savannah, where it partners with both ports.

The business does a fair amount of project towing on the Eastern Seaboard but has also gone as far as Seattle, Wash., into the Great Lakes and on the Western Rivers, Smith said. Stevens Towing has five ABS load line crane barges and cargo barges, with the largest a 250- by-72- by 16-foot with a 4100 series III Ringer mounted on deck.

“We’ve got a wide variety of experience on just about every waterway in the United States,” Smith said, adding, “We understand everything there is to know about either inland or ocean transportation.”

Because much of the company’s nearby work is along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, where the controlling draft averages around 7-1/2 feet, Stevens Towing has picked up a lot of experience with shallow-draft operations, tidal effects and sand, mud and silt bottoms, Smith said.

The company uses shoes to protect propellers and rudders and 3/4-inch armor plating on the belly of its tugs for protection in shallow water. Although Stevens Towing has a super jumbo class hopper barge with 3,000-ton capacity, it is generally limited to 2,500-ton usage because of the waterway.

Johnson Stevens, a fourth-generation family owner, took over operation of the company about seven years ago, Smith said. He expanded Stevens Towing’s shipyard, which has increased its marine repair revenue by a factor of 10, Smith said.

“I would attribute that strictly to Johnson’s drive and push,” he said.

The company expects Subchapter M-required drydock hull inspections to become a significant part of the shipyard business.

Also helping Stevens Towing to stand out is that the company maintains its own professional engineer, David Osborne, on staff. Osborne does all ocean method statements and designs and installs the company’s securements.

He’s also essential in performing repairs since, under Subchapter M rules, drawings must be made and approved for any changes to a boat that are not original, such as adding shoes.

Moving into the future, Smith thinks the company’s century-plus experience and willingness to work in a wide variety of conditions, along with its variety of services, will help Stevens Towing to grow.

“We’re more of a full-service group than most,” Smith said. “There are only a handful of guys who still do this kind of full-service business. If you give me the piece, I can make sure it’s loaded, secure, delivered and unloaded at the final destination.”

Caption for top photo: Stevens Towing shipyard at Yonges Island, S.C. (Photo courtesy of Stevens Towing)

CHARLESTON - Another tornado warning as been posted in portions of Charleston and Dorchester counties.

It remains in effect until 4:15 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Magnolia Gardens at 3:38 p.m. The storm was moving north at 35 mph. Radar images indicated rotation in the storm.

Impacted areas include North Charleston, Summerville, Ladson, and Magnolia Gardens. The warning also includes I-26 between mile markers 205 and 209.

The National Weather Service has reported a weak tornado touched down in Goose Creek Aug. 30, flipping a car but otherwise not causing damage.

The vehicle was flipped at the intersection of Camelot Drive and South Goose Greek Boulevard.

The tornado warning started just before noon Aug. 30 for areas include Johns Island, Hollywood, Ravenel, Meggett, Yonges Island and Wadmalaw Island.

A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Yonges Island, moving north at 25 mph.

The NWS warning noted that “flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely.”

Hurricane Wire is a pop-up newsletter during hurricane season that delivers anyone who lives on the East Coast all the information they need to know as storms brew in the Atlantic and beyond.

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Reach Tony Kukulich at: 843.709.8929

BEAUFORT — Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida just before 8 a.m. on Aug. 30, and since then it’s been working its way across Georgia toward Beaufort County.

Rain, intense at times, has been falling in the county throughout the day, though winds at mid-afternoon were still mild.

While the storm’s exact path and projected impacts are constantly evolving, one thing is nearly certain. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

The heaviest rains and strongest winds are still to come according to the current forecast.

Local institutions are making preparations for the storm’s arrival, and a number of closures and schedule modifications have been reported.

What to know - Schools

The Beaufort County School District announced eLearning and remote workdays for its students and staff on Aug. 30 and 31. All school district buildings will be closed those days. Extracurricular activities and afterschool programs scheduled for Aug. 30 and 31 have been canceled.

All classes at the Technical College of the Lowcountry are canceled and the campus is closed Aug. 30 and 31.

All online and in-person classes at the University of South Carolina Beaufort are canceled Aug. 30 and 31. Residence halls and ding halls will remain open but may have limited services. All other university offices will also be closed. Classes are expected to resume Sept. 1.

What to know - Government

Officials in Beaufort County declared a state of emergency that will remain in effect until Sept. 3.

The declaration allows government officials to take any action necessary to mitigate emergencies caused by Hurricane Idalia. These actions may include imposing curfews, reentry procedures and any other short term emergency matters.

No curfews or limitations on travel have been enacted in the county at this time.

Hilton Head Island Mayor Alan Perry has likewise declared a local state of emergency for Hilton Head Island beginning Aug. 30 and continuing through Sept. 3.

“Emergency measures are necessary to cope with the existing and anticipated dangers presented by Hurricane Idalia,” Perry said in a press release.

The following local governments will be closed Aug. 30 and 31:

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Center was activated at 2 p.m. It will remain operations through the duration of the storm to address any storm-related emergencies.

The Town of Yemassee will be closed Aug. 30. Offices are tentatively scheduled to reopen Aug. 31, though a final decision based on current conditions will be made in the afternoon of Aug. 30.

Beaufort County Convenience Centers will be closed Aug. 30 and 31, and all county Parks and Recreation programs are canceled.

Jasper County is opening an emergency shelter at Ridgeland School located at 250 Jaguar Trail in Ridgeland. The shelter will open at 10 a.m. Aug. 30. The shelter can accommodate pets.

Officials recommend that people utilizing the facility bring:

Residents with pets must bring: a crate; pet food; vaccination records; rabies certificate; most recent heartworm test; most recent FeLV/FIV test result (for cats); at least a seven-day supply of their medications; litter and litter box (for cats); cleaning supplies; and food and water bowls. Pets who are not service animals will not be permitted in the main shelter area due to safety considerations.

What to know - Travel

Hilton Head Island Airport and Beaufort Executive Airport remain open, but all commercial flights in and out of Hilton Head Island Airport have been canceled for Aug. 30. Travelers are advised to check with their carriers for any possible flight delays and cancellations.

According to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, there are no plans to restrict driving within the county. However, residents and visitors are encouraged to limit unnecessary travel during peak storm hours. Standing water may be possible on roadways due to rain accumulation. Use extra caution when driving.

The Daufuskie Island Ferry service will be suspended beginning Aug. 30 following the 11:30 a.m. departure. The 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ferries departing Buckingham and 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. ferries departing Melrose Landing are canceled.

Ferry service may resume Aug. 31 based on conditions and an assessment of the docks and boats. Be aware that the captain can suspend operations anytime it is unsafe to travel. Unscheduled delays and cancellations may occur without notice.

The parking lots at both Melrose Landing on Daufuskie and Buckingham Landing in Bluffton are in very low-lying areas and are prone to flooding. Parking in those locations is not recommended until the storm passes. Drivers are advised to move vehicles to the Daufuskie Island Visitors Center parking lot, located at Tanger 2 Hilton Head Outlets on Fording Island Road.

YONGES ISLAND — Family-owned Stevens Towing this week joined a small handful of global maritime companies with a mobile hoist capable of lifting ships that weigh up to 820 metric tons, giving it the capability to move barges and other large vessels at the Port of Charleston and throughout the Southeast.

The company, in a ceremony on Oct. 20, christened the “Susan G” made by Marine Travelift in honor of company vice president Susan G. Stevens, a third-generation family member in the business that’s been a mainstay in this rural part of Charleston County for more than a century.

The equipment stands 70 feet tall and is 87 feet wide — one of just eight 820-ton lifters worldwide, and only the second that can hoist a 60-foot-wide barge. Its lift capacity of roughly 1.8 million pounds is more than 10 times that of the giant ship-to-shore cranes that load and offload containers at the Port of Charleston.

“This American-made travel lift can lift a 60-foot-wide barge — there are only two in the world that can do that and one of them is here in Yonges Island,” said Johnson Stevens, the family company’s fourth-generation president. “With the Susan G, we can serve our fleet as well as bigger vessels in a more efficient way. That will keep commerce moving and the supply chain flowing.”

The device is also large enough to lift tall mega-yachts, long cargo vessels and large tugs, and it will allow Stevens Towing to modernize the type of work it does in its new zero-emissions shipyard.

The company, founded in 1913, received a nearly $1.4 million in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help pay for the travel lift. Stevens Towing was the only South Carolina company to receive one of the federal grants, which are meant to strengthen the nation’s small shipyards. The total cost of the crane was about $5 million.

“I’ve been hanging around Yonges Island almost my whole life, since I was a very small child, and I’ve seen a lot of impressive equipment and a lot of impressive vessels come and go, but this one right here takes the cake,” said Lem Boykin, the company’s dockmaster and operator of the new lift.

In addition to hauling cargo and repairing ships, Stevens Towing operates 13 towboats and does contract work with the U.S. military.

The company, which also has locations at the former Navy Base in North Charleston and in Edenton, N.C., employs more than 200 workers and operates a youth apprenticeship program that has taught welding skills to 22 students from Charleston-area schools.

Stevens Towing also participates in a range of environmental initiatives, most recently deploying 3,000 tons of concrete culvert off the North Carolina coast to create an artificial reef.

Stevens called the new vessel lift “a huge accomplishment for our business,” adding it “will help us continue our legacy of providing good jobs and supporting the maritime industry here in Charleston.”

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