The Georgia Ports Authority opened 2014 with a strong January, achieving gains of 12.5 percent in 20-foot equivalent container units — or TEUs — and 7.3 percent in overall tonnage, compared to January 2013.
GPA executive director Curtis Foltz said he’s encouraged by the strong January numbers, especially as they continued a trend that began during the fourth quarter of 2013.
“We’re hopeful these volumes signal a strengthening U.S. and global economy,” he said this week.
The Port of Savannah moved 259,159 TEUs, up from 230,372 over the same period a year ago. Freight moved across all terminals totaled 2.45 million tons, an increase of 166,544 tons compared to the same month in 2013. GPA officials anticipate this growth to continue.
In Brunswick, GPA wrapped up the first seven months of its fiscal year – which began July 1 – with a 6.1 percent increase in automobile and heavy equipment units moved. Including Savannah’s Ocean Terminal, the GPA moved 386,070 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo, up by 22,044 units. Brunswick handled most of those moves — 372,146 units — from July through January.
GPA board chairman Bob Jepson said he was pleased with the numbers.
“Our deepwater ports offer a hub for transportation that is unmatched in the United States,” Jepson said. “It’s a place where ocean, road, rail and distribution centers come together to ensure that commerce is handled efficiently, environmentally responsibly and at the lowest cost possible.”
Celebrating 20 years of growth
Valentine’s Day was especially sweet for the folks at Page International, as they celebrated 20 years in business here. A real Savannah success story, the logistics service provider has grown from three people in a small warehouse to a staff of more than 60 with offices in Savannah and Atlanta and affiliated offices in over 190 countries across the globe.
Beginning with ocean exports only, the company has expanded to ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, air freight and domestic transportation.
The company continues to grow each year by offering its customers a competitive edge in the international marketplace, said Roy Page, company founder, president and CEO.
“Our product is customer service and our entire staff goes to the nth degree to deliver everything our customers expect and more,” he said. “For example, we built our computer program from scratch with the single-minded idea of making everything easier on our clients.”
The payoff of delivering such service , Page said, is a loyal customer base that considers his staff part of their own firms.
“There’s no short cut, no magic formula,” he said. “It’s just doing what’s right.”
In late 2012, the company opened Kearney Page Warehouse Services in Garden City, less than two miles outside Georgia Ports’ main container terminal. Kearney Page is a joint venture with The Kearney Companies, a warehouse operator in the Port of New Orleans.
Businesses on board with MLET
The Maritime Logistics Education Taskforce’s 2014 internship program is well underway, with 16 students settling in for 10 weeks of hands-on training with area port-related businesses. That wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of Savannah’s maritime business partners, said McLeod Rominger, a sales representative for Colonial Group and MLET vice president.
Among the companies participating again for the second year are Coastal Logistics Group, HWC Logistics, JCB, John S. James Co., Matson Logistics, Port City Logistics and United Arab Shipping. New on board for this year are At Cost Fulfillment, DJ Powers, Expediters International, Nordic Cold Storage, Peeples Industries, Pier 1 Imports and Willis Logistics.
“Also, Savannah Tech has graciously offer the use of their facilities for events, JIT Logistics and Meet Savannah helped sponsor the program kick-off and Hunter McLean has provided legal assistance as we organized,” Rominger said.
Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
SHIPPING SCEDHULE
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT CHEMBULK MINNEAPOLIS Today
GCT HS BRUCKNER Today
GCT MSC MARINA Today
GC TSAFMARINE BANDAMA Today
GC TDANAE C Today
GC TMAERSK IDAHO Today
GC TGOLDEN GATE BRIDGE Today
GC TAPL PEARL Saturday
GC THANJIN DURBAN Saturday
GC TEVER ELITE Saturday
GCT DUESSELDORF EXPRESS Saturday
GCT RIO THOMPSON Saturday
GCT ST LOUIS EXPRESS Saturday
GCT CSCL VANCOUVER Saturday
GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESS Saturday
GCT VENICE BRIDGE Sunday
GCT CMA CGM CORAL Sunday
GCT LESSOW SWAN Sunday
OT ATLANTIC IMPALA Sunday
GCT MSC SHAULA Monday
GCT MSC PAMELA Monday
GCT MSC MICHAELA Monday
GCT NYK DENEB Monday
GCT OOCL SOUTHAMPTON Monday
GCT NYK CLARA Monday
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT MAERSK HARTFORD Monday
OT ENDURANCE Monday
OT BAHRI HOFUF Monday
GCT MOL ENDURANCE Tuesday
GCT MSC MAEVA Tuesday
GCT EVER DELIGHT Tuesday
GCT ZIM LUANDA Tuesday
GCT ZIM RIO GRANDE Tuesday
GCT YM MOBILITY Tuesday
GCT BERLIN EXPRESS Tuesday
GCT NYK DIANA Tuesday
GCT HANJIN MONTEVIDEO Tuesday
OT KIRANA NAREE Tuesday
GCT CMA CGM MELISANDE Wednesday
GCT BOSTON TRADER Wednesday
GCT MOL MAXIM Wednesday
GCT MAERSK KURE Wednesday
GCT FOWAIRET Wednesday
GCT MAERSK MISSOURI Thursday
GCT CAFER DEDE Thursday
GCT CSAV LLANQUIHUE Thursday
GCT ZIM CALIFORNIA Thursday
GCT VARAMO Thursday
GCT BREMEN BRIDGE Thursday