Grieg Star Shipping has selected the Port of Charleston for a new, monthly service providing the port's non-container customers additional breakbulk options from South America.

Grieg Star, owner of one of the world's largest open hatch-fleets, is based in Norway with East Coast operations served from its Atlanta office. The line previously called Charleston on an inducement basis.

Grethe Hoyvik, vice president and general manager of Grieg Star, said the service is being driven primarily by steel and forest products being imported from Brazil to the United States, though there also will be export options from Charleston to South America.

"By adding Charleston on a monthly basis to our liner service, we can serve the demand of our customers along the East Coast and across the growing Southeast marketplace," Hoyvik said.

Ports on the service include Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Praia Mole, Portocel or other load ports in Brazil subject to inducement. Grieg Star will also offer import and export opportunities for Europe and Asia, in addition to South America.

"Grieg Star Shipping is a premier breakbulk carrier, and their commitment to the Port of Charleston will enhance our non-containerized business," said Brad Stroble, general manager of bulk, breakbulk and project cargo sales for the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), which owns and operates the Port of Charleston.

Grieg Star already has had two vessels from Brazil call Charleston in 2013 and the next vessel, Star Java, is scheduled to call at Union Pier on April 29.

The SCPA has invested in its breakbulk infrastructure over the past several years, including the nearly $25-million conversion of Columbus Street Terminal from a container facility to a multi-use breakbulk and ro-ro terminal.

During the first nine months of the 2013 fiscal year, non-containerized cargo tonnage rose more than 33 percent in the Port of Charleston over the same period last year.