The Port of Charleston is apparently unbowed by an announcement that BMW has signed a five-year deal to import as many as 50,000 new vehicles a year through Baltimore beginning early this year.

U.S.-bound BMW vehicles that had previously entered the country through Charleston will now use the Mercedes-Benz vehicle-processing center at the Fairfield/Masonville auto terminal, according to the Maryland Port Administration.

“This is very welcome news for the Port of Baltimore’s auto business and for the hard-working men and women who work at the Port of Baltimore every day,” said Governor Martin O’Malley in a statement.

But in Charleston, the loss of the BMW import business was described as a net positive by Byron Miller, the ports authority’s spokesman.

“Our main concern has always been servicing the BMW plant in Greer, which is currently undergoing a 1.2 million square foot expansion of its assembly facilities,” Miller said. “As a result a result of that expansion, we expect to be handling 150,000 autos a year starting in 2011, compared to the 100,000 we handle now.

“Their decision on imports wasn’t based on dissatisfaction with Charleston, but rather with a desire to be closer to the Midwest market,” he said. “If anything, it’ll provide us with the benefit of freeing up some precious terminal space for their outbound shipments.”

BMW has said the deal will help with shipping logistics and will be more cost-efficient. The Port of Baltimore is the closest East Coast port to the Midwest.