“We think it is a big deal that the Ports Authority is on it and they’re known for being very aggressive,” said John Truluck, the director for Dorchester County Economic Development. “They would not be seeing the growth that they’re already seeing if they weren’t.”

The plan is to sell parts of the land to different companies that would use it for manufacturing and distribution, activity that could help the port.

Much of the land is made of wooded areas right now. There is infrastructure development happening on the property but most of it will remain unchanged until an interested company starts to invest and can develop it to fit their needs.

Last year, the first company to begin operations on the site started building. Indian auto parts manufacturer Sundaram-Clayton will soon open its facility at the industrial park. The company invested $50 million dollars and is expected to create 130 new jobs.

The county and Ports Authority are hoping other companies will follow suit.

“​We’ve known for a while that Ridgeville is the bull’s-eye of the growth pattern of the region,” said Truluck. “Now its incumbent upon us here in Dorchester County and the Ports Authority to continue and even ramp up the selling of that site.”