Georgia Ports Authority reports 2015 volume growth, orders new cranes

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) logged record container volumes in 2015, authority officials announced yesterday.

In the last calendar year, the Port of Savannah moved an all-time high 3.73 million twenty-foot-equivalent (TEU) container units, which was an 11.7 percent increase compared with units moved in 2014.

"The expansion was fueled in part by heightened demand in the U.S. Southeast, Savannah's logistical advantages drawing new customers to Georgia, and cargo diverted from the West Coast," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz in a press release.

Total tonnage across all terminals rose 3.6 percent to a record 31.48 million tons in 2015. Container tonnage accounted for most of that growth, adding 991,031 tons  (up 4 percent), for a total of 25.81 million tons. Bulk cargo added 60,705 tons (up 2.2 percent) to reach 2.86 million, while breakbulk cargo grew 1.7 percent, or 47,358 tons, to reach 2.79 million tons.

Also yesterday, the GPA's board approved the purchase of four new ship-to-shore cranes for the Port of Savannah, bringing the total number to 30.

"With today's decision, the Georgia Ports Authority will make a $47 million investment in order to maintain the highest level of service for port customers," said Foltz.

Savannah's Garden City Terminal will add four cranes this year as previously purchased cranes are put into service. The cranes approved yesterday will arrive in spring 2018.