Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point

[1] It serves as a transfer point between rail, trucks, and ships for the import and export of weapons, ammunition, explosives and military equipment for the United States Army and is operated by the 596th Transportation Brigade.

An additional 2,100 acres (8.5 km2) was set aside on Pleasure Island (location of Carolina, Kure, and Fort Fisher beaches) as a buffer zone around the facility.

The port can handle up to 6 ships simultaneously and features large cranes for loading and unloading vessels.

The earliest known use of the area dates to 1725 when George Burrington operated a plantation following his first term as colonial governor of the then Province of North Carolina.

Its isolation, few structures and access to deep water made it an ideal location as an ammunition transfer point.