The Port of Brunswick in Georgia, USA, is poised to become the top auto and machinery port in the country, with 264 acres of land for development.

Griff Lynch, president and CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), said to accommodate “anticipated market demand,” GPA has initiated an “aggressive infrastructure plan, strengthening Colonel’s Island for auto and machinery processing.”

“Organic growth, a steady pipeline of new customers and the ability to take on new trade will boost Brunswick’s Roll-on/Roll-off volumes, which are already expanding at a strong rate,” he told the State of the Port annual event, hosted by the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce.

Lynch noted that in fiscal year 2023, Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick grew Ro/Ro volumes by 18%, to more than 705,000 units of autos and heavy machinery, moving both into and out of the port. (Including Ocean Terminal in Savannah’s Ro/Ro volumes, GPA handled a record 723,515 units during this time period.) 

The Port of Brunswick served 610 vessel calls in FY2023, representing an increase of 11% over the year prior. Colonel’s Island handled 495 of those ships.

GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain said Brunswick has room to grow as automakers and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) move greater volumes through Georgia. 

“At 1,700 acres, Brunswick is the nation’s premier gateway for auto and Ro/Ro cargo,” Fountain said. “Brunswick’s gateway port model features four on-site auto processors, room for customers to grow their business with three available parcels of land totaling 264 acres and direct access to Interstate 95 for car carrier and machinery trucks. With on-terminal rail, Brunswick offers the fastest East Coast rail connections to inland markets.” 

The port also features a new fumigation facility onsite which is the largest facility of its size for autos and machinery. 

Fumigation is required for cars and machinery shipped to Australia and New Zealand.

Brunswick expanding capabilities

To accommodate growing volumes, the Port of Brunswick is undergoing improvements totaling more than US$262 million. Construction has recently been completed on 350,000 square feet of near-dock warehousing that serves auto and machinery processing on the north side of Colonel’s Island Terminal. Three additional buildings representing 290,000 square feet and 122 acres of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo storage space are under construction on the south side of the island.

GPA has also won Federal approval for a fourth Ro/Ro berth at Colonel’s Island, to enable more vessel calls. This project will more efficiently accommodate vessels that can carry up to 7,000 vehicles.

Source shifting, short sea shipping creates new volumes

Lynch noted that Georgia Ports is focused on the growing market opportunity of global automotive manufacturers and OEMs moving production to Mexico. 

This trend coupled with ocean carriers adding more services into Mexico ports with main haul and short sea services is tied to sourcing shifts which will add more auto volumes into the Port of Brunswick’s national gateway for distribution throughout the U.S.   

He noted, for example, that CMA-CGM started a new short-sea service carrying vehicles from Mexico to the Port of Brunswick in July, and Gold Star starts a Mexico/Brunswick route in November.

Lynch said the Port of Brunswick is part of a two-pillar strategy at GPA to “specialize and scale operations for customers,” with Colonel’s Island Terminal handling all future Roll-on/Roll-off cargo while the Port of Savannah concentrates on containerized trade. 

GPA is currently renovating Ocean Terminal in Savannah to serve as an all-container facility.