Georgia ports report growing business in 2022

ATLANTA — The Georgia Ports Authority handled a record 5.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) of cargo during the last calendar year, an increase of 5% over 2021.

The Port of Savannah achieved four of its top five months for container volume during the year, peaking in August with an all-time high of 575,500 TEUs.

“It was a challenging year, but collaborative effort across Georgia’s supply chain ensured cargo movement remained fluid,” Griff Lynch, the authority’s executive director, said. “I want to thank our board for approving new infrastructure that allowed us to handle more cargo.”

Capacity at the Port of Savannah is expected to increase to 7.5 million TEUs this year and 9 million by 2025 due to the renovation of Berth 1 at the Garden City Terminal, the 90-acre Garden City Terminal West expansion, and the planned transition of Ocean Terminal to an all-container facility.

“We’re excited about the possibilities ahead,” authority board Chairman Joel Wooten said Tuesday. “We’re bringing to market faster vessel service, quicker turn times for trucks, and more room to grow business.”

In addition to record container-cargo traffic last year, the ports authority saw a 16% increase in breakbulk tonnage to nearly 3.3 million tons, up 443,000 tons compared to 2021.

Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 651,101 units of autos and heavy machinery, while Ocean Terminal in Savannah moved another 19,630 Roll-On/Roll-Off units, for a total of 670,731, an increase of 0.4%.

Total tonnage crossing all ports authority docks reached 42.4 million tons last year, an increase of about 2%.

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