By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Port authority sees 25% container growth
Placeholder Image
Special to the News
Published: Jul 9, 2010, 1:35 PM
SAVANNAH — Georgia Ports Authority’s Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz announced recently that the GPA experienced 25.3 percent container growth in May and has recorded six consecutive months of double-digit growth.
“May was the sixth busiest month ever recorded for container throughput and continued the string of double-digit growth experienced since last December,” Foltz said. “The growth experienced in the second half of this fiscal year continues to signal improved economic recovery, retail inventory re-stocking and ongoing strength in U.S. products overseas with significant export increases.”
Overall tonnage for May 2010 reported gains of 12.4 percent, which brings the GPA’s fiscal year-to-date (July 2009 through May 2010) volume to a 6.5 percent increase compared with the same time period last year. Import growth increased during May as well, while export products and empty-container repositioning also supported the extremely strong month.
At the Port of Brunswick, the movement of auto and machinery units has also experienced growth for the past six months. Colonel’s Island Terminal moved 35,873 total units in May 2010, which is an 82.4 percent increase compared with May 2009.
“It is clear just how strong an economic engine our ports have become and how that engine is helping to fuel our economic recovery,” GPA Chairman of the Board Stephen S. Green said. “The GPA’s focus on the future even during the economic recession is starting to pay dividends today.”
Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 295,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $15.5 billion in income, $61.7 billion in revenue and $2.6 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy.

Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Record April boosts Savannah's container trade at port
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.

Latest Obituaries