“The demand for export commodities translates into economic growth for Georgia and the Southeast,” said Foltz. “Overall, export throughput comprised 53 percent of GPA’s total containerized cargo and grew by 12 percent.”
During fiscal year 2011, (June 30, 2010 – July 1, 2011) Savannah handled 6.84 million tons of containerized export cargo, second only to the Port of Los Angeles. Also in FY2011, Savannah handled 8.7 percent of U.S. containerized cargo volume and 12.5 percent of all U.S. containerized exports.
“Georgia’s position as the number-two export port once again reaffirms the Port of Savannah’s importance to this state, region and nation,” said GPA’s Chairman of the Board Alec L. Poitevint. “The single most critical factor for the Port of Savannah’s future success, and its ability to move American-made goods to the international marketplace, is the completion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). The work to deepen the Savannah Harbor up to 48 feet at mean low water is precisely the type of effort that will bring comprehensive economic recovery to the United States.”