According to the latest report from the Georgia Ports Authority, there has been a significant increase of 22% in container growth due to the rise in the number of retailers and manufacturers utilizing the Port of Savannah.
In May, the GPA reported a significant increase in container handling, with a total of 490,330 20-foot container units being handled. This marks an impressive surge of almost 90,000 containers as compared to the previous year.
According to GPA officials, the Port of Savannah has not experienced any congestion despite the increase in volume.
According to a statement by Griff Lynch, President and CEO of GPA, major retail customers have informed Georgia Ports that they are ramping up their orders to restock their inventories and fulfill the growing demands of consumers. Lynch also noted that the May container volumes have been boosted by an uptick in trade among Tier 1 suppliers for the new Hyundai Meta Plant.
According to Lynch, the Port of Savannah is experiencing a positive impact on its GPA due to the shift in sourcing. This is because many manufacturers have established production facilities in Southeast Asia, which facilitates the delivery of goods to the Port of Savannah.
According to GPA, container trade has been on the rise in 2024, with each passing month showing an increase as compared to the previous year.
According to port officials, the month of May saw a 22% increase in performance as compared to the previous year. Moreover, the performance in May was also up by 11% as compared to April.
According to Lynch, Savannah is anticipating the arrival of over 320,000 containers’ worth of imported cargo in June.
From January to May, the GPA has managed to handle a total of 2.2 million containers in terms of cargo, which is a notable increase of 12.7% as compared to 2023. This reflects the impressive performance of Georgia as a whole.
“Our customers receive unmatched service thanks to the exceptional teamwork between our GPA employees and supply chain partners,” stated Kent Fountain, Chairman of the GPA Board. He further added that the Board is investing significantly in expanding the capacity of their docks, container yards, truck gates, and rail connections to enhance Georgia’s logistical advantage.”