Port of Morehead City: what to know before your first pickup
Gate hours, the 4 p.m. check-in, TWIC and escort rules, the US 70 approach, weight limits, storm closures and what's new at NC's bulk and breakbulk port in Morehead City, from NC Ports, TSA and NCDOT, as of October 2026.
The short version
The Port of Morehead City is the smaller of North Carolina's two state ports. NC Ports runs it as a bulk and breakbulk terminal, not a container port. [1]
The General Cargo Terminal is at 113 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557. Arendell Street is US 70, so the gate sits right on the highway. [1][12]
As of October 2026, the terminal works Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. NC Ports says trucks must check in by 4 p.m. to be sure of loading or unloading before the gate closes. [1][8]
You need a TWIC card to drive through the gate on your own. Without one, an approved escort has to apply for you online at least eight hours ahead. [8]
Before your first run, call the trucker lines at (252) 515-5211 or (252) 515-5214 during office hours. After hours, the Main Gate is (252) 515-5233. [8]
What moves through the port
NC Ports lists phosphate, fertilizer, lumber, metal products, rubber, wood chips, aircraft parts and grain as the main products. It also handles roll-on, roll-off cargo and has a foreign trade zone. [1]
The port has nine berths, a 45-foot channel and a dry-bulk warehouse that holds 220,000 tons. A 177,000-square-foot warehouse stores rubber, paper, steel and lumber. [1]
Its largest tenant by volume is Nutrien. NC Ports says it moves nearly 800,000 tons a year through the port, mostly dry and liquid fertilizer, by barge and ship. [3]
Oversize work comes through here too. In fiscal 2026, NC Ports said both of its ports handled transformers, chillers, large battery packs, wind blades and pipe for energy projects. [4]
NC Ports also said construction and infrastructure breakbulk beat expectations in Morehead City that year. [4]
Norfolk Southern serves the port by rail, and Carolina Coastal Railway runs the switching inside the terminal. Plenty of cargo moves by rail and barge, not only by truck. [2][3][18]
At the gate
NC Ports' 2022 fact sheet says motor carriers use one secured gate, and certified truck scales are on site. [2]
Its escort form also lists a Radio Island gate across the Newport River. Ask your dispatcher or the trucker line which gate your load uses. [8]
NC Ports' general checklist for truckers asks for a valid TWIC, the right handling orders, a reflective vest and safety shoes. It also asks for an account in its Navis N4 system. [8]
That checklist is written for all NC Ports terminals and leans toward container work. Our tip: confirm with the Morehead City trucker line what you need for a bulk or breakbulk load. [8]
Rules inside all NC Ports gates include 20 mph unless posted, no phone use while the vehicle moves, no weapons or alcohol and no photos without NC Ports Police permission. [8]
Trucks stay off vessel berths unless told otherwise, and you should keep 50 feet from working heavy equipment. NC Ports says violations can bring a $50 fine or a Class 3 misdemeanor. [8]
Plan around the holidays. As of October 2026, the terminal is closed Nov. 11, Nov. 26 and 27, Dec. 24, 25 and 28, and Jan. 1, 2027. [1]
Getting your TWIC
NC Ports says anyone who drives through the gates at either state port must swipe a TWIC, and it names truck drivers specifically. [8]
TSA runs the program. As of October 2026, a new card costs $124, an online renewal $116 and a replacement $60. You enroll in person with fingerprints and a photo. [9]
TSA says to enroll at least 60 days before you need the card and that processing may take longer than 45 days. NC Ports says 60 to 90 days, so give yourself two to three months. [8][9]
A TWIC expires five years after it's issued under 49 CFR 1572.23. You can book an appointment online or at (855) 347-8371. [9][11]
Having the card isn't the last step. NC Ports asks you to send its TWIC enrollment form to twic_mhc@ncports.com or bring it to the badging office. [8][10]
If you aren't enrolled in its access system, NC Ports says you'll need a visitor's pass every day. [8]
If you don't have a TWIC yet, an approved escort must apply online at least eight hours before you arrive and stay with you inside the gate. [8]
Getting there on US 70
NC Ports says the port is reached by US 70, which links to I-40 and I-95 by way of US 70 and US 17. Our I-42 and US 70 corridor guide covers the drive from Clayton. [1][2]
In town, US 70 is Arendell Street. NCDOT's 2024 counts show about 31,000 vehicles a day on Arendell near the port and 34,000 west of NC 24. [12][23]
There isn't much of a backup route. In July 2026, a crash closed both eastbound lanes at South 13th Street, and police sent traffic around on 14th and Evans streets. [17]
NCDOT's truck restriction table has no Carteret County listings. We couldn't read the town's code, so check with the town before using side streets. [24]
East of the port, US 70 crosses the Newport River toward Beaufort. The Coast Guard lists it as a fixed bridge with 65 feet of clearance for boats, so it doesn't open for river traffic. [14]
NCDOT project U-5876 would widen Arendell Street from 4th Street to Radio Island Road and replace that bridge. As of October 2026, it has no construction schedule. [12]
Weight, permits and big loads
Watch your weight on bulk loads. North Carolina's limits are 20,000 pounds on a single axle and 38,000 on a tandem, with gross weight set by the bridge table up to 80,000 pounds. [15]
US 70 is a US route, so NCDOT can't post it as a light-traffic road with lower axle limits. That rule applies only to roads that aren't interstate, US or NC routes. [15]
The farm side of a run may be different. G.S. 20-118(c) has exemptions from light-traffic limits for fertilizer hauled to or from farms and for wood chips going to a processing point. [15]
Oversize and overweight loads need NCDOT permits. G.S. 20-119 says NCDOT can't bar after-sunset travel for permitted loads to or from international ports, and it may allow night moves. [19]
NC Ports says the terminal has special equipment for over-dimensional cargo. Our tip: weigh on the port's certified scales before you leave if your load is near the limit. [2]
Parking and timing
We found no official truck staging area near the port. The Carteret County visitor center on US 70 in Morehead City has no truck spaces. [25]
The nearest state rest area with truck parking on this route is the Craven County US 70 rest area near Clarks, west of New Bern, with 10 truck spaces. [25]
Our tip: time your arrival so you can check in by 4 p.m. If you'll be early or late, call the trucker line before you roll into town. [8]
Storms and port closures
The Coast Guard sets port conditions for Wilmington and Morehead City when gale-force winds are forecast. These start 72 hours ahead, then tighten at 48, 24 and 12 hours. [13]
At condition Zulu, 12 hours out, the ports and waterways close to vessels and cargo operations are suspended. [13]
These conditions cover ships and cargo work, not the truck gate itself. NC Ports posts operations alerts by email, and its current conditions page shows weather and tides. [8][16]
Reopening can take time. After Hurricane Florence, NCDOT said both NC Ports terminals resumed full truck operations on Sept. 24, 2018. [20]
What's new at the port
A 75,000-square-foot warehouse for bulk and breakbulk opened in early 2025, aimed partly at farm cargo. [5]
A federal grant of almost $15 million will rebuild the barge berths Nutrien uses. NC Ports said work was expected to start in fiscal 2026 and take 18 months. [3]
Silvi Cement is building an import terminal with two 100,000-ton domes and round-the-clock truck loading. A temporary rail loadout is running meanwhile. [4][6]
NC Ports hasn't given an opening date for the Silvi terminal. Trade press says 2027. [6][18]
New Liebherr rail-mounted cranes for general cargo arrived at both state ports in fiscal 2026. [4]