Container traffic at Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal rebounded strongly in October for a year-over-year growth of 19 percent, GPA executive director Curtis Foltz told his board at its regular monthly meeting Monday.
“We had an extremely strong month, with significant growth reported in all business sectors.” Foltz said, adding that total tonnage for October was at an all-time high of 2.5 million tons, a growth of nearly 22 percent.
Auto and machinery also set a new record, with Ocean Terminal in Savannah and Colonel’s Island in Brunswick combining to move a record 62,343 units in October, a 19.2 increase over the same time last year.
“The strong October supported year-to-date growth of 9 percent for the first four months of fiscal 2014, which should bode well for the balance of the year,” he said.
Container growth was driven by filled containers, with loaded imports up 27.1 percent — a new all-time high — and loaded exports up 20 percent.
“The growth in import activity has resulted in an almost perfect balance of import to export activity, rebalancing a trade that has been export-dominant since 2009,” Foltz said.
The breakbulk commodity group recovered somewhat in October, handling more than 228,000 tons and reducing the year-to-date decrease to 5 percent, he said.
“In Savannah, decreases were reported in iron/steel and machinery and were partially offset by growth in autos, linerboard/plywood and rubber,” Foltz said.
The largest deficit in Savannah continues to be in the export of machinery to the mining industry in Australia, with little hope of a near-term recovery, he said.
Liquid and dry bulk continued its strong start to fiscal year 2014, growing by 7 percent in October. For the first four months of the year, volume increased 30 percent for a total of nearly 785,000 tons.
The port is also experiencing a strong financial year, Foltz reported, with revenue for October at $26.6 million — only the second time the GPA has surpassed $26 million in a month and only slightly behind the all-time record set in August.
Foltz also reported that major new accounts have been added to the Port of Savannah’s portfolio. Those included Hankook Tires, which has established a new distribution facility in Liberty County to house as many as 600,000 tires and serve 10 states in the southeastern U.S.
Shaw Industries of Dalton announced it will move its distribution center to Savannah from Columbia, S.C., doubling its size from 156,000 square feet to more than 300,000.
“The superior efficiency of our ports is a powerful draw, bringing jobs and commerce to the state,” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement.
“Georgia ports have risen to prominence by partnering with U.S. companies seeking new markets for their products. Today, the GPA serves about 21,000 companies from all 50 states.”
Last week, at the Atlanta State of the Port event, Gov. Deal announced his intention to seek another $35 million from the General Assembly to help fund the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. The new request will bring the total state monies allotted to the harbor deepening to $266 million, fulfilling the state’s portion of the total project cost of $652 million.
GPA board chairman Robert Jepson said the harbor deepening has been fortunate to enjoy strong support on the local, state and national levels.
“Our state leaders and our delegation in Washington have supported this critical project since its start in 1999,” Jepson said. “The commitment and foresight of Gov. Deal and others have brought us to where we stand today — ready to begin construction.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Oct. 2013 Oct. 2012 Growth
TEUs* 274,359 230,640 19 percent
Breakbulk 228,174 tons 215,759 tons 5.8 percent
Bulk 242,144 tons 226,386 7 percent
RO/RO** 62,343 units 52,298 units 19.2 percent
Total Tonnage 2.5 million 2 million 21.9 percent
TEU is a 20-foot container equivalent. A 40-foot container would count as 2 TEUs.
RO/RO designates roll-on/roll-off cargo, such as autos and machinery units.