CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina State Ports Authority will auction 40 acres of land it bought in Cainhoy at the time it planned to build its Global Gateway steamship terminal on nearby Daniel Island.

At least 12 parcels will be put up for bid to the public.

The former owners either decided not to buy them back or did not respond to the authority's notice it would resell them, the authority board was told Tuesday.

The land is part of 200 acres the authority bought in the late 1990s.

It offered the property back to its original owners two years ago after the agency shifted expansion plans to the former Charleston naval base. The parcels range in size from a half-acre to 20 acres.