Georgia Ports Authority posts rail cargo record

SAVANNAH — The Port of Savannah set a record for rail traffic last month at the port’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal, the Georgia Ports Authority announced Monday.

The rail terminal handled 46,890 containers in February, an increase of 39% compared to the same month last year.

The ports authority’s Appalachian Regional Port in northwest Georgia also set a February record, moving 3,825 containers, up 23% over February of 2023.

Altogether, rail accounted for 19% of the ports authority’s container trade last month, with the remainder moving by truck.

“GPA has made significant investments in rail infrastructure,” Griff Lynch, the ports authority’s executive director, said. “That’s going to play a key role in capturing our next growth target — a greater share of the market in locations such as Dallas, Memphis and beyond.”

Meanwhile, overall traffic in containerized cargo at Savannah was up 14.4% in February compared to the same month last year.

Lynch welcomed two consecutive months of growth after a difficult start to the current fiscal year last summer and fall. He said he expects the improving volumes to carry the GPA to a stronger second half of Fiscal 2024, which ends June 30.

File Photo