Port Savannah in the state of Georgia set a new record in September 2023 by handling 504,015 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This figure is 3.7 percent higher than container traffic in September of last year and reflects increased demand for imports and the late peak shipping season.
Increase in Container Traffic and Imports
With this record, container traffic for the first quarter of the Georgia Ports Authority's fiscal year exceeded 1.5 million TEUs, marking a 2.7 percent (40,560 TEU) increase compared to the same period last year. This increase is primarily due to a 5.5 percent rise in heavy cargo imports.
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The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) attributed this increase to sustained consumer demand and a longer peak shipping season. Additionally, delays caused by storms at Asian ports resulted in some shipments being pushed to September.
Expansion and Investment Plans
The Georgia Ports Authority is continuing a massive expansion plan in Savannah, which includes a $1.6 billion reconstruction of the ocean terminal. This project is now over 60 percent complete and is expected to increase the terminal's annual container capacity from approximately 200,000 TEUs to 1.75 million TEUs.
Furthermore, a new roadway has been opened to improve cargo flow on the coast. The Brampton Road connection, opened in July, provides a new route for trucks to the Garden City terminal, avoiding local streets and at-grade rail crossings.
GPA CEO Griff Lynch highlighted the importance of these achievements, stating, “Thanks to the Georgia port staff, gateway terminals, and ILA, we are providing world-class services to our customers while handling unprecedented cargo volumes.”
GPA also noted improvements in the Panama Canal as a positive sign for shipping for the remainder of the year. The Panama Canal Authority has planned to restore Neo-Panamax transit capacity to a maximum of 10 transits per day starting October 15, increasing the total daily transit capacity of the canal to 33 vessels.
At the Port of Brunswick, total roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo traffic has significantly decreased, with the port handling 43,415 RoRo units in September, which is 22 percent less than last year. However, heavy cargo has become a bright spot, experiencing an almost 12 percent increase to 3,754 units compared to last year.
The Georgia Ports Authority has planned nearly $5 billion in investments over the next decade, which includes five additional large container berths in Savannah and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick.
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