THE Georgia Ports Authority, centred on the Port of Savannah, says volume of cargo handled in July and August grew 5.6 per cent compared to the first two months of the previous fiscal year, with August posting 13.8 per cent growth in container throughput.
"Our deepwater ports achieved a good start for fiscal year 2013, despite a slow national economy. The ports of Savannah and Brunswick have established solid momentum to start our fiscal year," said GPA executive director Curtis Foltz.
The Port of Savannah handled 522,744 TEU over the first nine weeks of the 2012/13 fiscal year, representing growth of 4.4 per cent. August accounted for 270,614 TEU, the GPA's second-highest month for container throughput, behind only October 2010.
In tandem with the strong growth in tonnage, GPA rail cargo also saw a boost in numbers. Growth in intermodal activity was significant during August, and led to a record month, handling 29,364 intermodal rail moves.
"Greater reliance on rail movement is a strategic initiative of the GPA, allowing the Port of Savannah to increase capacity without putting more trucks on the road," said GPA board chairman Robert Jepson. "Rail transit is cheaper for long-distance hauls, requires less fuel and produces fewer emissions."
The Port of Brunswick achieved 48.4 per cent growth in total tonnage for the month of August at 199,141 tons, and 30.2 per cent growth on the fiscal year to date. Colonel's Island terminal in Brunswick moved 109,694 auto and machinery units in July and August, an increase of 37 per cent over the same period the previous fiscal.
