Strong November numbers contributed to a fiscal-year-to-date growth of more than 5 percent, putting Georgia Ports Authority on track to move 3 million-plus containers in FY 2014.
Twenty-foot equivalent containers — or TEUs — moved were up 6.6 percent for the month, with a 7.3 percent increase in total tonnage across all terminals.
GPA executive director Curtis Foltz attributed the increase to a combination of new customers and better-than-anticipated growth in the national economy in recent months.
New customers calling on Georgia’s ports range from imports by appliance makers, such as Haier America Trading, to the expanded exports of Toyotas, Nissans and other vehicles. The Port of Savannah has also seen recent private investment in refrigerated cargo warehousing that supports Georgia’s substantial poultry exports.
In addition to the monthly gains, the GPA moved more than 1.3 million TEUs for the first five months of the fiscal year, for a 5.5 percent increase over the previous year. In total cargo, the port has moved more than 12 million tons through the end of November, a nearly 9 percent increase over fiscal year 2012 year-to-date.
At Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick the movement of more than 275,000 auto and heavy machinery units over the fiscal year to date represents an improvement of 5.6 percent.
Ocean Terminal in Savannah added another 10,874 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo for a total of 285,894 and a 7.4 percent gain in total Ro/Ro over the same period last year.
GPA board chairman Robert Jepson said the increases are the result of several factors.
“Georgia’s deepwater ports are capturing a growing market share because our efficient terminals make it easier and faster for customers to use our facilities and our superior road and rail connections save them money reaching major markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Memphis,” Jepson said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Nov. 2013 Nov. 2012 Change
TEUs 243,233 228,184 6.6 percent
Tonnage 2.4 million 2.2 million 7.3 percent
FY14 to date FY13 to date % Change
TEUs 1.30 million 1.23 million 5.5 percent
Tonnage 12 million 11 million 8.8 percent
Ro/Ro* 285,894 266,315 7.4 percent
