Meet the new leader behind SC Ports logistics boon

In early October, the South Carolina Ports Authority introduced a Charleston local and College of Charleston graduate as its next president and CEO.

Micah Mallace spent the past three years as president of Harbor Logistics, a logistics company specializing in port drayage, warehousing and transload operations. Though coming from a private sector of logistics, he had a previous tenure with SC Ports from 2011 to 2022 as chief commercial officer.

While perusing the daunting task of taking command of operations in one of the state’s biggest growth sectors, Mallace sat down to answer a few questions from SCBIZ about his new position.

Question: What brought you back to the SC Ports after time in private logistics?

Answer: South Carolina Ports Authority Board Chairman Bill Stern reached out me following the leadership vacancy. I’m grateful to be back with the team and care deeply about the service that our port provides to our customers, industry partners, the community and to our state. We have an exceptional workforce that’s dedicated to serving a larger purpose each day they come to work, and that’s inspiring to me and something I feel lucky to be a part of.

Q: How do you think your time leading a private logistic company affects your perspective in the SCPA CEO role?

A: I have the unique experience of returning to lead SC Ports after spending three years as a port customer in the private sector. The insights I gained from my previous role will certainly help inform the decisions our team makes as we pursue new growth opportunities.

Q: Logistics in the state have been booming over recent years. What are you most excited about when stepping back into such a growing industry?

A: Finding new ways to continue to meet the growing demand in the Southeast for competitive port service, and to rise to the challenges we’re facing here at home. A point of pride for SC Ports is the reputation we’ve built in the industry for offering customized solutions for shippers. I see a lot of untapped potential to grow our business, and it’s going to take that same customer forward approach and creative solutions for BCOs in order to grow our volumes to where I believe they should be.

Q: Similarly, you mentioned increasing SC Port’s “competitiveness.” What does that look like to you? 

A: As a top 10 U.S. container port, we aren’t just benchmarking ourselves against our regional neighbors. We’re looking at all top 10 ports, even those on the West Coast. Competition is a good thing — every port has its strengths, which means there will always be a continuous pursuit to grow our market share.

We will hone our costs, intentionally identify commodities that are growing, utilize our real estate holdings and white glove service to recruit new customers, and be open to new service offerings that our customers may request.

Q: Where do you see the biggest untapped opportunities for South Carolina businesses (both small regional companies and large global companies) to leverage the port’s capabilities?

A: I believe the largest opportunity is in working together. The port’s reach is substantial; it has the ability to fix issues far beyond its terminals. But when it does so in a vacuum, it misses opportunities. Being open with our customers, vendors and other partners about challenges and opportunities allows for better ideas to percolate to the top. We are in the business of proactively solving problems, and doing so with partners assures those solutions will be more impactful.

Q: What changes do you see from when you were previously with SC Ports?

A: I took for granted what an incredible team the port has. We are proud of what we do individually but even more proud to serve the larger community that depends on us. This remains the same, but what changed is my appreciation for it. I’ll never again take for granted what a privilege it is to be on such a great team.

The second thing that changed is the market cycle. When I left, the transportation and logistics industry was coming off 2.5 years of incredible growth due to pandemic driven consumption. Retailers were adding capacity to their supply chains at a rapid pace, congestion was rampant in the industry, and rates had shot up to levels never before seen. Since then, volumes normalized leaving the T&L industry in an over-capacity situation which drove rates down and rationalization of assets became the norm. Today, the industry sees headwinds and volatility that do not correspond with consumer demand. And so a new approach is needed, which we are excited to bring to our customers.

Q: How does your perspective as a Charleston local play a role in your plans?

A: SC Ports plays a key role in global trade, and our operations are dependent on the relationships we forge with cargo owners and carriers around the world. However, as a government agency we also serve the state of South Carolina and our neighbors here in the Charleston area, and those relationships are of equal importance to how we operate. In my first month I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with many of our state and local leaders to hear their concerns and understand how their needs fit into our broader vision and day-to-day operations. The port will always be committed to being a good neighbor.

Q: What are your goals to continue efficiency in both the Charleston Port, as well as the inland ports? How do those goals look different?

A: Growth and efficiency are always going to be top priorities at both inland and marine terminals. SC Ports has a reputation as being one of the most efficient ports in the country, and our operators and maritime partners continue to provide productive port service.

Having planned capacity with room to meet projected demand, and robust infrastructure, ensure that those things aren’t roadblocks for future growth, and we can continue to pursue additional volume without compromising reliable service.

I’m incredibly fortunate to step into this role at a time when my predecessors rightfully invested in the infrastructure and other projects needed to meet future demand. Our partners with CSX and Norfolk Southern are able to provide ample capacity for our needs today, but it’s important that we continue to provide incremental intermodal growth to match our future growth aspirations.

Q: Where do you see room for improvement for the ports? What are you aiming to change?

A: There is always an opportunity to iterate, to do slightly better tomorrow than we did yesterday, and to aspire to bigger wins. We aspire to continue to up our level of service, to manage our business in a way that puts our customers’ interests first, and to realize above-market growth due to these efforts.