The Georgia Ports Authority kicked off its new fiscal year with what it described as the "fastest start ever" as the gateway handled 530,800 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) in July or an increase of 18% year-on-year.
It noted that since January, GPA has moved 3.4 million TEUs, up 231,400 or 7% over its performance during the same period in 2021 – a record year in which GPA handled 5.6 million TEUs.
Photo: Georgia Ports Authority
The port added that annualized, July volumes have the Port of Savannah moving containers at a rate of more than 6 million TEUs per year.
"The Port of Savannah has clearly become a preferred East Coast gateway for shippers globally, including cargo diverted from the US West Coast," said Griff Lynch, GPA executive director.
"Our expedited infrastructure projects, extended gate hours, and the outstanding work of our employees and partners are key to our ability to move cargo at a record pace," he added.
To better suit drivers' needs, GPA added that it has shifted operations to start two hours earlier, with gates now open from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. without interruption.
Since the new hours were implemented on August 1, the port has seen strong adoption from drivers, with 3,000 transactions completed in the 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. time block over the past week.
Lynch noted that the Port of Savannah's gate operations averaged 15,000 truck moves per weekday in July, including both import and export transactions.
"Our partnership with GPA allows us to optimize efficiency for a continuous flow of containers to foreign markets and to the factories, distribution centers, and retail outlets that serve our nation's economy," said Kevin Price, president of Gateway Terminals.
"The tremendous demand for services from Georgia Ports is a testament to the customer-centered drive that is at the heart of all our efforts," Price added.
Infrastructure developments at Port of Savannah
Lynch noted that Savannah's container operation is growing to deftly accommodate the increasing needs of existing and future customers.
He added that current infrastructure projects will soon increase berth capacity to handle vessels faster.
GPA has eight new ship-to-shore cranes on order, with the first four arriving in February and the next four arriving by the end of 2023.
Additionally, another big ship berth at Garden City Terminal is 60 percent complete, with the improvements slated to come online in July 2023.
Lynch said the improved berth will add 1.4 million TEUs of berth capacity, while the Garden City Terminal West project will add another 1 million TEUs of container yard capacity in phases during 2023 and 2024.
"Georgia Ports Authority will grow its annual berth capacity from 6 million to 7.5 million TEUs by next year, and 9 million TEUs by 2025," the GPA chief added, noting that the agency anticipates spending US$4.5 billion over the next 12 years to expand its container-handling capabilities.
Joel Wooten, GPA chairman, noted that the Authority is also continuing to improve its services and infrastructure to address market demand.
"While the global logistics network has been challenged over the past two years, our message to customers is that at GPA, we're continuing to build and expand," said Wooten.
"We're moving forward with an aggressive plan to enhance our terminal operations and improve the rail connectivity to major commercial and manufacturing centers," he added.