Georgia's Ports Increase Capacity to Attract Additional Cargo

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11/17/2008 - Savannah, Georgia

Total tonnage for all terminals experiences marginal growth for the fiscal year

Savannah, GA – November 17, 2008 – Georgia Ports Authority’s (GPA) Executive Director Doug J. Marchand announced today the GPA is increasing capacity at the Port of Savannah to attract additional cargo. 

“Now is the time for our ports to expand capacity and prepare for the next wave of cargo shipped to Georgia,” said Marchand. “Our ports are in the advantageous position of being able to attract additional cargo, even in a challenging economy, while preparing for future growth.” 

Four additional super post-panamax cranes are expected to arrive in early February and will be in operation next May. Additionally, KCI Special Cranes Corporation of Finland has completed construction of 14 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes for the Port of Savannah. 

During his report at the GPA Board of Directors meeting today, Marchand said the completion of projects like the upgrade and overlay of Container Berths 4, 5 and 6 would make additional capacity available at the Garden City Terminal. “Today, the Garden City Terminal handles 2.7 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) per year,” said Marchand. “In the near future, we will have the capacity to handle more than 6.5 million TEUs annually on the same footprint and that is good news for Georgia.”   

Marchand also reported that GPA handled more than 8.7 million tons of cargo for all terminals for the first four months of fiscal year 2009, a 1.1-percent increase compared with the same period last year. 

Total tonnage for October, however, decreased by 6.2 percent compared to the previous year. 

“I am confident the GPA will not only survive the current recession, but will come out of it in a position to create additional jobs and economic opportunities throughout Georgia,” said Steve Green, Chairman of the GPA Board. 

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 286,476 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $14.9 billion in income, $55.8 billion in revenue and $2.8 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy.

For additional information, please contact Robert Morris, Director of External Affairs, at (912) 964-3855 or fax at (912) 964-3921. E-mail is available via rmorris@gaports.com. Visit the GPA web site at www.gaports.com.

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