The Georgia Ports Authority continues to expand freight volumes, marking the seventh consecutive month of record container throughput. In September, the Port of Savannah handled 317,411 twenty-foot equivalent container units, a 7.3 percent (21,713-TEU) increase over the same month last year.
"We are pleasantly surprised to see volumes remaining above last year’s double digit growth,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz, who noted a 12.9 percent increase in September 2014. “Last month was the busiest September for container traffic in GPA’s history. We anticipate, at some point this year, to begin seeing throughput leveling off to more normal patterns."
The Port of Savannah’s record volumes continue a pattern that has made it the only US port to rank among the Journal of Commerce’s listing of the Top 10 fastest growing ports in the world, released last week.
“New customers exposed to services through the Port of Savannah have found that they can reach the fast-growing Southeastern U.S. market more efficiently through Georgia’s deepwater ports,” said GPA Board Chairman James Walters. “Being the only American port to achieve this ranking is testimony to a long-term commitment to customer service.”
The GPA also achieved healthy roll-on/roll-off cargo growth in September, expanding 4.6 percent (2,200 units) to reach 50,305 Ro/Ro units for the month.
In total tonnage, the GPA grew cargo by 5 percent (121,423 tons) to reach 2.52 million tons in September; of that figure, the Port of Brunswick accounted for 197,366 tons, up 3.6 percent (6,787 tons). The Port of Savannah’s September total increased by 5.2 percent to reach 2.32 million tons.
“Growing cargo volumes deliver additional jobs and increased investment for Georgia,” said Walters.