Seaboard Marine’s AS Savanna Makes First Call to Savannah’s Ocean Terminal

Georgia Ports Authority representatives Susan Gardner, senior director Operations and Projects, and Bruce Kuzma, senior director of Trade Development (carrier/non-container sales), present a gift to Seaboard Marine President Edward Gonzalez, third from left, to welcome the line’s first call with a dedicated container vessel to the Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal. Other dignitaries from Seaboard Marine included Regional Sales Manager Barbara Guzman, Regional Operations Manager Jason Rivera and Captain Vladimir Grinchak. Find print-quality images here. (Emily Goldman / Georgia Ports Authority)

Georgia Ports adding 200,000 TEUs of new capacity

SAVANNAH, Ga., Mar 3, 2021 – The Seaboard Marine vessel AS Savanna became the first dedicated container ship to call on the Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal Wednesday.

“We’re happy to welcome Seaboard Marine to inaugurate Ocean Terminal’s expanded container offerings,” said Georgia Ports Executive Director Griff Lynch. “This service plays an important role in the movement of chilled produce into the U.S. Southeast via Savannah, greatly improving the speed and efficiency of perishable cargo handling.”

With a carrying capacity of 1,713 twenty-foot equivalent container units, the AS Savanna handled a total of 550 TEUs of import and export cargo while calling on Ocean Terminal.

“Since 2019, we’ve offered fast, reliable service via direct links between Savannah, Latin America, and the Caribbean,” said Seaboard Marine President Edward Gonzalez. “With Savannah in our service network, we’ve provided cargo owners convenient transportation options to key countries in the Western Hemisphere.”

The Georgia Ports Authority has added 210,000 TEUs of annual capacity through the expanded container operation at Ocean Terminal.

“At Georgia Ports, we want our customers to know that we are here for their long-term needs,” said GPA Chief Commercial Officer Cliff Pyron. “Our terminals are expandable, and we are scaling up our capabilities right now through multiple projects. Adding more than 200,000 TEUs of new capacity at Ocean Terminal is just one part of an exciting evolution going on at the Port of Savannah.”

The expanded container service at Ocean Terminal provides direct access to U.S. 17, linking the port with Interstates 95 and 16 for expedited transport to area distribution centers and inland markets.

“We’re committed to working with our shipping line customers as we roll out this new offering in Savannah to ensure the efficiency of cargo movement from dock to destination,” said Bruce Kuzma, GPA senior director of Trade Development (carrier/non-container sales).

To support the new offering, GPA has commissioned six rubber-tired gantry cranes. The GPA also enhanced its Ocean Terminal docks and installed a container truck gate directly across from the on-ramp onto U.S. 17/Interstate 16. The new container yard includes space for dry and refrigerated boxes.

“The Georgia Ports Authority has long followed the principle of steady investment to keep terminal capacity ahead of demand so that Savannah and Brunswick can handle cargo surges whenever they occur,” said GPA Board Chairman Will McKnight. “This latest addition is a prime example of that philosophy in action.”

In preparation for the first containership call Wednesday, container yard operations opened at Ocean Terminal on Feb. 22.

“Container carriers calling Ocean Terminal can look forward to the same world-class service they have come to expect from Georgia Ports,” said Susan Gardner, GPA senior director of Operations and Projects. “We look forward to working with the shipping lines, cargo owners, and trucking communities as we expand the services available at Ocean Terminal.”

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 496,700 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $29 billion in income, $122 billion in revenue and $3.4 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 9.3 percent of total U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.5 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2020.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Chief Communications Officer Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com