“The additional cargo attracted to Georgia speaks to the reliability and ease of doing business in this state,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “More freight moving through GPA terminals means greater opportunity for the people working at more than 21,000 businesses shipping cargo through Georgia’s ports.”
In containerised trade, the Port of Savannah achieved a 14.2% improvement in February, for an increase of 35,287 TEU. A total of 284,037 TEU moved across GPA docks. For the fiscal year, GPA has moved 2.32 million TEU, an increase of 13.7% or 279,882 TEU. Georgia’s deep-water ports have seen similar fiscal year increases across all business categories, with break-bulk cargo up 11.2% (183,562 tons) to reach 1,821,830 tons. Bulk cargo has improved by 6.9% (127,731 tons) to reach 1.99 million tons for the eight-month period between July and February.
In automotive and machinery units, the GPA saw 8.9% growth in February, up 4,734 units to reach 57,654. Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick led the growth, moving 55,482 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo. For the fiscal year to date, the GPA has moved 464,638 auto and machinery units, up 5.8%, or 25,648 units.
Also in the month of February, bulk commodities such as soybean meal and peanut pellets improved by 14.8%, and break-bulk cargo, such as iron and steel, spiked 24.8%.
“Georgia’s ports are truly firing on all cylinders,” said GPA Board Chairman James Walters. “Our ports are powerful engines, creating economic opportunities throughout the supply chain.”