Georgia Ports' Blue Ridge Connector construction nears completion

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has reached 95% completion on construction of its new Blue Ridge Connector inland port and rail terminal. The authority plans to begin operating the terminal later this year.

GPA will connect electrical power to the facility by the end of the January, which means the commissioning of the terminals seven all-electric rubber tire gantry cranes can occur in February, GPA officials said in a press release. A full opening date has not been announced.

The $134 million development will connect GPA's Port of Savannah to northeast Georgia via direct Norfolk Southern Railway service, providing the region's shippers with an alternative to a long-haul truck route of approximately 600 miles round trip.

Shippers in northeast Georgia will benefit from a more efficient route to the port — with 39 ship calls per week — and greater access to international markets, GPA officials said. The Port of Savannah has two on-dock rail yards served by NS and CSX.