The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) marked twelve consecutive months of container volume increase in December and noted continued focus on infrastructure investments to further boost its long-term growth.

GPA handled more than 2.8 million TEUs in fiscal year-to-date 2025 (July 1 – Dec. 31), an increase of 11.4% or nearly 300,000 TEUs in the Port of Savannah.

In December, GPA handled more than 442,000 TEUs, an increase of 4.7% or 19,850 TEUs compared to December 2023.

"We've seen twelve consecutive months of year-over-year container volume growth, and we're on track for a strong fiscal year that ends June 30th, 2025," said Griff Lynch, president and CEO of Georgia Ports Authority.

GPA noted that the Appalachian Regional Port (ARP) helped boost its performance, with an increase of 4,368 TEUs fiscal year-to-date or 13.5% over the previous period. December volumes were 6,084 TEUs, an increase of 20.6% over the previous period.

Meanwhile, Lynch reported that the Garden City West Terminal storage yard will complete its car-in-containers project in February 2025 as the customer shifts cargo to RoRo service in the Port of Brunswick.

Four new ship-to-shore cranes from the Finland-based company Konecranes also arrived at the port on January 25, 2025, for installation.

Other projects include the Blue Ridge Connector in Gainesville, GA, which is 50% complete and will open in 2026 as an inland port. A US$40 million expanded U.S. Customs inspection facility, financed by GPA, doubled in size and opened in March 2025 to support faster service within Garden City Terminal.

It added that the other major project, the Savannah Container Terminal, is currently in the permit process.

"We continue to focus our infrastructure renovation efforts on getting all our facilities into top shape for customers and their long-term needs," said Kent Fountain, chairman of the Georgia Ports board.

Port of Brunswick performance

In autos and heavy equipment, GPA handled 443,763 units of Ro/Ro cargo, an increase of 7.5% or 31,125 units fiscal year-to-date at the Port of Brunswick.

In December, 69,000 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo were handled, a decrease of 7% or 5,200 units, reflecting total RoRo at Colonels Island- autos, machinery, static cargo, boats, vehicles).

GPA completed US$262 million in improvements at the Port of Brunswick in 2024, adding new warehousing and processing space and 122 acres of Ro/Ro cargo storage.

Construction has started on a new railyard on Colonel's Island, while a fourth Ro/Ro berth is in the engineering phase.

Colonel's Island was also the new site for the official opening of Wallenius Wilhelmsen's new Southeast port hub on January 21, 2025.