Jobless rate improves a little again

Errin Haines

Associated Press Writer

Updated: Mar 1, 2012, 7:24 PM

Published: Mar 1, 2012, 7:26 PM

ATLANTA - Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the state's unemployment rate has declined for the sixth month in a row.

January's jobless rate was 9.2 percent, compared to a revised rate of 9.4 percent in December. Butler said that figure is the lowest rate since March 2009, when it was 9.1 percent.

"I think it shows that Georgia businesses are starting to show confidence in the economy," Butler said. "They're looking to expand and grow. That's what we've been waiting to see."

The rate compares to a 10.1 percent jobless figure in January 2011. Since then, Butler said, the state has gained nearly 84,000 jobs - which he cites as the largest year-to-year increase since 2006. He attributes the gains to growth in various sectors, including 37,000 more jobs in professional and business services, 15,100 more jobs in retail trade, 11,100 in health care and social assistance and 7,300 new manufacturing jobs.

The state lost more than 45,000 jobs between December and January - typically a period of decline due to the loss of seasonal jobs - but about 13,000 more Georgians returned to the workforce during the same time period. Butler said this is the smallest December to January job loss since 1987.

First-time unemployment insurance claims rose to 77,756, up 22 percent from 63,714 in December, mostly attributed to seasonal layoffs in retail trade and construction. But the number of initial claims decreased 13 percent from January 2011. The number of long-term unemployed worked dipped only slightly, decreasing 900 to 244,200 since December. That figure is the fewest number since October 2010.

Record April boosts Savannah's container trade at port

The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided

GardenCityTerminal — The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided

Bryan County News

Updated: May 23, 2018, 1:59 AM

Published: May 23, 2018, 2:00 AM

The Georgia Ports Authority's busiest April ever pushed its fiscal year-to-date totals to more than 3.4 million 20-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 8.8 percent, or 280,000 TEUs, compared to the first 10 months of fiscal 2017.

"We're on track to move more than 300,000 TEUs in every month of the fiscal year, which will be a first for the authority," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "We're also anticipating this to be the first fiscal year for the Port of Savannah to handle more than 4 million TEUs."

April volumes reached 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units, up 7.1 percent or 23,700 units. As the fastest growing containerport in the nation, the Port of Savannah has achieved a compound annual growth rate of more than 5 percent a year over the past decade.

"As reported in the recent economic impact study by UGA's Terry College of Business, trade through Georgia's deepwater ports translates into jobs, higher incomes and greater productivity," said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. "In every region of Georgia, employers rely on the ports of Savannah and Brunswick to help them become more competitive on the global stage."

To strengthen the Port of Savannah's ability to support the state's future economic growth, the GPA Board approved $66 million in terminal upgrades, including $24 million for the purchase of 10 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes.

"The authority is committed to building additional capacity ahead of demand to ensure the Port of Savannah remains a trusted link in the supply chain serving Georgia and the Southeast," Lynch said.

The crane purchase will bring the fleet at Garden City Terminal to 156 RTGs. The new cranes will support three new container rows, which the board approved in March. The additional container rows will increase annual capacity at the Port of Savannah by 150,000 TEUs.

The RTGs will work over stacks that are five containers high and six deep, with a truck lane running alongside the stacks. Capable of running on electricity, the cranes will have a lift capacity of 50 metric tons.

The cranes will arrive in two batches of five in the first and second quarters of calendar year 2019.

Also at Monday's meeting, the GPA Board elected its officers, with Jimmy Allgood as chairman, Will McKnight taking the position of vice chairman and Joel Wooten elected as the next secretary/treasurer.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Senior Director of Corporate Communications Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com.

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