Port of Savannah Sets September Container Record as Imports Rise

The Port of Savannah handled a record 504,015 twenty-foot equivalent units in September, up 3.7% from a year earlier as strong imports and a later-than-usual peak season boosted volumes.

The September result pushed container traffic for the first quarter of the Georgia Ports Authority’s fiscal year above 1.5 million TEUs, an increase of 2.7%, or 40,560 TEUs, compared with the same period last year. GPA said it was the second-strongest fiscal first quarter in its history, behind only fiscal 2023.

Loaded imports drove much of the growth, rising 5.5% year over year.

GPA attributed the increase to continued consumer demand and an extended peak shipping season, with typhoon-related delays at Asian ports shifting some cargo into September.

“Thanks to our Georgia Ports employees, Gateway Terminals and the ILA, we are providing world-class service to our customers while handling record volumes,” said GPA CEO Griff Lynch.

The authority is continuing a major expansion program in Savannah, including a $1.6 billion redevelopment of Ocean Terminal. The project is more than 60% complete and is expected to increase the terminal’s annual container capacity from about 200,000 TEUs to 1.75 million TEUs.

A new road connection is also aimed at improving landside cargo flows. The Brampton Road Connector, opened in July, created a third high-volume truck route into Garden City Terminal’s Gate 3 while bypassing local neighborhood roads and at-grade rail crossings.

“We know our customers have a choice and we’re thankful for their choosing Georgia Ports,” said GPA President Kevin Price. “The capital investments we’ve made are now paying off in service levels for our customers and fluidity for our trucking partners.”

GPA also pointed to improving conditions at the Panama Canal as a positive sign for shipping through the remainder of the year.

The Panama Canal Authority plans to restore Neopanamax capacity to a maximum of 10 transits per day beginning Oct. 15, bringing total daily transit capacity across the canal to 33 vessels. The maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax vessels stood at 49 feet as of Sept. 28.

In Brunswick, meanwhile, total roll-on/roll-off volumes fell sharply. The Port of Brunswick handled 43,415 RoRo units in September, down 22% from the same month last year.

Heavy machinery was a brighter spot, rising nearly 12% to 3,754 units from 3,359 a year earlier.

Georgia Ports is planning nearly $5 billion in investment over the next decade, including five additional big-ship container berths in Savannah and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick.

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