Savannah Sees Record Container Volumes in March

The US east coast port operator Georgia Ports Authority increased containerized cargo in March by 27.8 percent compared to the same month a year ago, for an additional 72,499 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs).

For the first time ever, the Port of Savannah moved 333,058 TEUs in a single month, surpassing its previous monthly record set in October 2014 by more than 21,000 TEUs.

“Our March numbers have once again demonstrated the scale, flexibility and efficiency of the Garden City Terminal. Freight handling remained fluid, even with demand well above forecasts,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

Foltz added that the GPA is taking steps to increase capacity at Garden City Terminal, including construction of a new truck gate and the purchase of 30 rubber-tired gantry cranes, which will bring the total number to 146 RTGs.

March also capped an active third quarter, which helped to deliver a 15.3 percent increase in TEU volumes for the fiscal year to date. For the nine-month period, GPA moved 2.66 million TEUs, an increase of 352,381 compared to the same period last year.

In other commodity groups, breakbulk cargo has improved by 7.6 percent (144,968 tons) compared to FY2014, to reach 2.04 million tons. Bulk cargo increased by 4.1 percent (87,429 tons) through March for a total of 2.21 million tons.

Image: GPA Photo/Stephen B. Morton