Kia to ship auto parts via rail to Georgia terminal

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) will ship auto parts via rail from the Port of Savannah to inland terminal Cordele Intermodal Services, and from there via motor carrier to Kia's manufacturing plant in West Point, Ga., Gov. Nathan Deal announced yesterday.

Under the new agreement, Cordele will handle up to 30,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers per year to supply the plant. The partnership will save more than 6 million truck miles per year, Georgia officials said in a press release.

"This partnership and use of the inland port will reduce congestion on our highways and lower transportation costs, using new infrastructure to benefit both companies and the West Point area," Deal said.

Kia currently employs more than 3,000 workers in West Point. The plant has a production capacity of 360,000 vehicles per year.

"Working with our state partners, as well as our suppliers, in this way not only benefits KMMG, but also increases efficiency, which adds value to the end product, ultimately benefiting our customers," said Stuart Countess, chief administrative officer of KMMG. "We see this as another example of our company philosophy of continuous improvement."

Served by short lines, Cordele Inland Terminal operates on 40 acres with an option to expand on nearby land. Service areas include southwest Georgia, southern Alabama and western Florida.

Cordele recently was designated an official container yard by shipping lines Maersk, NYK, CMA-CGM, MSC and ZIM.