Port of Brunswick Sets All-Time Record for Vehicle and Heavy Equipment Cargo in March

The Port of Brunswick, the nation’s leading port for vehicles and heavy equipment, achieved a record-breaking month in March, handling 91,360 units of Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) cargo. This represents an 18 percent increase, or 14,125 units, compared to the same month last year.

Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) President and CEO Griff Lynch attributed the surge to more manufacturers choosing Colonel’s Island as a primary hub for global auto and machinery trade. He highlighted Brunswick’s strategic location in the growing US Southeast market and its capacity to accommodate new business as key factors for long-term customer planning. Lynch noted that, similar to container trade in March, the higher RoRo volumes were also influenced by customers front-loading orders in anticipation of new tariffs.

Colonel’s Island Terminal also experienced a record 65 vessel calls in March, up from 52 in March 2024, partly due to new services from two ocean carriers. Hoegh Autoliners has added a new service linking Colonel’s Island to Asia, with occasional auto exports to the Middle East. Sallaum Lines, based in Switzerland, is now also serving the port, adding Colonel’s Island to its extensive Atlantic network connecting Europe, North and South America, and Africa.

To manage the increasing trade volume, Phase I of a new railyard on the south side of Colonel’s Island Terminal is slated for completion in May 2025. This will double the port’s rail capacity from five to ten trains per week, increasing annual rail capacity from approximately 150,000 to over 340,000 autos. Phase II will further boost annual rail capacity to 590,000 units, more than tripling the current capacity. Lynch emphasized that this expanded rail infrastructure will provide greater supply chain flexibility and velocity through increased inland routing options, noting that over 90 percent of vehicles moved by rail in Brunswick are U.S.-made exports.

GPA has recently completed $262 million in capacity upgrades in Brunswick, including new warehousing and vehicle processing space, and a fourth berth for RoRo vessels is currently in the engineering phase.

GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain stated, “Steady infrastructure investments have helped establish Colonel’s Island as the nation’s premier gateway for autos and heavy equipment. Our Brunswick partners – International Auto Processing, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the International Longshoremen’s Association – have built a reputation for service that is drawing more business to Georgia.”

Lynch added that GPA is closely monitoring ongoing tariff discussions and their potential impact on the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, but affirmed that tariff-related uncertainty has not affected GPA’s plans to invest $4.2 billion in capacity expansions over the next decade.