Georgia Ports Authority Reports Record-Breaking September as Container Volumes Surge

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) reported handling 450,700 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) in September 2024, marking its second-busiest September on record and a 12 percent increase over the same period last year. GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch credited early holiday season preparations as a key factor, noting that import loads in Savannah rose by 17 percent, reaching 234,630 TEUs, while export loads decreased by 8.8 percent.

“September saw front-loading of containers as customers ensured cargo availability ahead of the holiday shopping season,” Lynch stated. With 375,000 more TEUs expected in October, he anticipates continued growth.

GPA’s Garden City Terminal West, opened in 2024, offers expanded storage options, allowing cargo owners to manage supply chains at their own pace. The Port of Savannah has moved over 1.4 million TEUs in the first quarter of FY2025, a 13 percent increase from the previous fiscal year.

Intermodal Rail Expansion

September marked a strong performance for GPA’s Appalachian Regional Port (ARP), which handled 3,000 containers, an 11 percent increase. GPA’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal, North America’s largest on-port rail facility, set a single-day record of 2,169 containers moved on October 4. Construction on the Blue Ridge Connector in Gainesville is also underway, slated for completion in 2026.

Growth in Roll-on/Roll-off Trade

The Port of Brunswick’s Colonel’s Island Terminal reported a 10 percent increase in vehicle and heavy equipment units, handling 78,430 units in September. The GPA Board has approved an additional 50-acre paved storage expansion, scheduled to open in summer 2025, to support growing Ro/Ro trade.

GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain emphasized the authority’s commitment to investing in port and inland infrastructure, aiming to enhance service across Georgia and the Southeast region.