In September, the Port of Savannah set a new record by handling 504,015 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which is a 3.7% increase compared to last year. The rise in volume is attributed to strong imports and a later peak shipping season.
This record month helped the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) surpass 1.5 million TEUs for the first quarter of its fiscal year, marking a 2.7% increase, or an additional 40,560 TEUs, over the same period last year. This fiscal first quarter ranks as the second-best in GPA's history, just behind the previous fiscal year.
A significant part of this growth came from loaded imports, which rose by 5.5% compared to the previous year.
GPA pointed to ongoing consumer demand and an extended shipping peak season as key factors in this increase. Additionally, delays at Asian ports due to typhoons contributed to some cargo being shifted into September.
"Thanks to our dedicated employees, Gateway Terminals, and the ILA, we are delivering exceptional service while managing record volumes," stated GPA CEO Griff Lynch.
The authority is advancing a major expansion initiative in Savannah, including a $1.6 billion overhaul of Ocean Terminal. This project is over 60% complete and is projected to boost the terminal's annual container capacity from around 200,000 TEUs to 1.75 million TEUs.
To enhance landside cargo movements, a new road connection called the Brampton Road Connector was opened in July. This route creates a third high-volume truck pathway to Garden City Terminal’s Gate 3, helping to avoid local roads and rail crossings.
"We appreciate that our customers have options, and we thank them for choosing Georgia Ports," said GPA President Kevin Price. "Our capital investments are now improving service levels and efficiency for our customers and trucking partners."
GPA also highlighted improved conditions at the Panama Canal as a positive development for shipping for the rest of the year.
Starting October 15, the Panama Canal Authority plans to restore Neopanamax capacity to allow a maximum of 10 transits per day, boosting overall daily transit capacity to 33 vessels. The authorized draft for Neopanamax vessels was recorded at 49 feet on September 28.
On a different note, the Port of Brunswick experienced a significant drop in total roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) volumes, handling only 43,415 units in September, representing a 22% decline from last year.
However, heavy machinery imports showed positive growth, increasing nearly 12% to 3,754 units from 3,359 units a year ago.
Looking ahead, Georgia Ports is planning nearly $5 billion in investments over the next decade, which includes the addition of five new big-ship container berths in Savannah and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick.