Savannah Container Volumes up 10 Percent in October

Inland velocity driven by one day rail dwell from vessel to rail.

Georgia Ports Mason Mega Rail is the largest on terminal rail facility in the Western Hemisphere.  The facility handles 42 trains a week with dual access to CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads. Average rail dwell for import containers is 24 hrs from vessel to rail departure. Find print-quality images here. (Georgia Ports)

SAVANNAH, Ga., Nov. 14, 2024 – The Georgia Ports Authority handled 494,261 twenty-foot equivalent container units in October, an increase of more than 45,000 TEUs, up 10 percent.

It was the third busiest October on record for GPA after 2021 and 2022, when more than half a million TEUs crossed the docks at the Port of Savannah.

“Despite the cargo increases this year, many customers continue to divert to the U.S. West Coast while the contract negotiations are ongoing,” said Georgia Ports President and CEO Griff Lynch. 

GPA terminal velocity is exceptional with containers connecting from vessel to rail in one day. The on terminal Mason Mega Rail facility provides rail service to customers via both Norfolk Southern and CSX.

Georgia Ports Chairman Kent Fountain said “I want to thank our Georgia Ports employees, the local ILA, Gateway Terminals, the Pilots and all our port partners in Brunswick and Savannah for the great work they’re doing to keep our ports competitive and easy to use by our customers.”

Record October trade through the Appalachian Regional Port helped boost GPA’s performance with an October high of 3666 rail lifts at the Northwest Georgia inland port up 4.4 percent.

For the first four months of fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024-Oct. 31, 2024), GPA has moved 1.9 million TEUs, up 211,320 or 12.3 percent.

In autos and high/heavy machinery, Colonel’s Island handled 68,569 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo in October and 300,647 RoRo units fiscal year-to-date, up 10.6 percent.   

Georgia Ports received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Ports Port grant in October to implement electrification infrastructure to support ships at berth to plug-in to shore power and turn off auxiliary-powered diesel engines. The $46 million grant also covers replacement of diesel terminal tractors with electric terminal tractors and electric charging infrastructure. “These initiatives are designed to create positive impacts to the community and ensure we’re a good neighbor,” added Lynch.