Georgia Ports Authority posts monthly tonnage, container records

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is continuing its volume-growth streak. In August, the authority set records in containers moved, total tonnage, and truck and intermodal moves.

Total tonnage reached 2.5 million tons, up 8.5 percent year over year. For the first two months of fiscal-year 2014, GPA has moved 4.7 million tons of freight across all docks, a 4.8 percent increase compared with FY2013's first two months.

The authority also moved 280,873 twenty-foot equivalent units, a 3.8 percent gain compared with August 2012. Measured by containers, GPA moved 156,979 units, of which 30,331 were moved by intermodal rail, a 3 percent increase.

"Our strong partnerships with CSX and Norfolk Southern have increased our rail participation to over 19 percent of total throughput," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz in a prepared statement.

GPA posted an all-time-high 180,572 truck moves at the Garden City Terminal, as well.

And, bulk cargo accounted for 188,872 tons, which — while not a record-setting amount — did skyrocket 37.8 percent year over year.