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Gulf States Cold Storage, a private, Georgia-based firm that moved into the Savannah market just 18 months ago, will add 55,000 square feet to its local facility, doubling its cold-storage capacity here for poultry and other proteins.
Curtis Foltz, executive director of Georgia Ports Authority, welcomed the private investment in Savannah’s refrigerated cargo market, noting that Gulf States’ growth will also enable a 20 percent increase in their blast freezing capacity.
Blasting — also known as flash freezing — brings the temperature of foods down rapidly, freezing them in a matter of seconds to help preserve their nutritional properties.
John Dean, vice president of sales at Gulf States, said the infrastructure should be operational by the end of this month.
“Currently, we are blasting around three million pounds a week; with the expansion, we will be close to five million pounds a week,” Dean said. “We will be adding a dock with five new doors, to go with the 18 doors already in use.”
In August 2013, Gulf States Cold Storage opened a 100,000-square-foot facility on Eli Whitney Boulevard in West Chatham County, less than 10 miles from GPA’s Garden City Terminal.
The cold storage area is maintained at 12 degrees below zero, while the blast cells reach as low as 35 degrees below zero. Most of the cargo is moved on racks, although the facility also features a bulk staging area for transload operations.
The addition will bring Gulf States’ local storage capacity to 28 million pounds of frozen cargo.
“We want to grow with the port of Savannah,” Dean said. “I think it is very important for businesses such as ours to keep up with the capacity that can be handled through the port.”
The Port of Savannah can accommodate more than 2,000 refrigerated containers at a time.
“I only see the port offering more in the future, and I think it might entice more producers to move into the state of Georgia,” Dean said. “This is yet another reason that we want to expand our capabilities in Savannah.”
Gulf States handles the export of poultry, beef, pork and seafood, as well as some frozen vegetables, which is a growing business segment. Dean said the company also anticipates the growth of frozen imports.
Produce such as onions grown
in South America — which has a growing season opposite from the U.S. — is brought in through Savannah to supply the Southeast during the winter months. The GPA is also participating in a U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program to bring in South American citrus, grapes and blueberries.
“I think that imports are going to be a big part of our future,” Dean said. “With the demand for export boxes in Savannah, I think you will see more and more imports coming in through GPA.”
Gulf States will add 12-14 jobs to its current local workforce of 35, he said.
Needed: ‘Gently used’ business attire
It’s time again for the Maritime Logistics Education Taskforce’s annual Business Apparel drive for its newest group of high school interns, who will be interviewing with maritime businesses.
The task force was formed in partnership with the Propeller Club-Port of Savannah, Savannah Traffic Club, Savannah Maritime Association, the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and the Navy League, Savannah Council.
Its mission is to reach, educate and grow the current and future workforce of the logistics and maritime industry in Savannah and surrounding coastal areas.
“We have 19 interns this year, a mix of boys and girls,” said MLET’s Kaisa White. “We will be collecting donations of business apparel between Jan. 11 and Jan. 17.”
Gently used suits, ties, dress shirts, slacks, skirts, shoes, scarves, belts, handbags and other business attire may be dropped off at the following locations:
• Comfort Suites - Historic District, 630 W. Bay St.
• Coastal Center for Developmental Services, 1249 Eisenhower Drive
• Fairfield Inn and Suites-Savannah Airport, 10 Stephen S. Green Drive
All donations are tax deductible. For more information, call White at 912-629-1505.
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.
The 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 CHARLES DICKENS Today
GCT PUELCHE Today
GCT JPO CANOPUS Today
GCT MAERSK DETROIT Today
GCT MAERSK IOWA Today
GCT BOSTON EXPRESS Today
GCT ALIDRA Saturday
GCT DUBAI EXPRESS Saturday
GCT SEA-LAND RACER Saturday
OT STAR LIMA Saturday
GCT PETROHUE Sunday
GCT CHEMBULK YOKOHAMA Sunday
GCT PHILADELPHIA EXPRESS Sunday
GCT CORCOVADO Sunday
GCT YM MANDATE Sunday
GCT EVER LINKING Sunday
GCT OOCL HAMBURG Sunday
GCT MSC SARAH Sunday
OT MORNING LUCY Sunday
GCT CENTAURUS Monday
GCT FLEX BOX CONTAINER Monday
GCT OOCL KAOHSIUNG Monday
GCT HYUNDAI GOODWILL Monday
GCT SC PAMELA Monday
GCT SABYA Tuesday
GCT MSC LISBON Tuesday
GCT ZIM QINGDAO Tuesday
GCT CMA CGM BIANCA Tuesday
GCT MSC TOKYO Tuesday
GCT NEVZAT KALKAVAN Tuesday
GCT YM OAKLAND Tuesday
OT CARMEN Tuesday
OT GRANDE GUINEA Tuesday
GCT APL TURQUOISE Wednesday
GCT SWAZILAND Wednesday
GCT CMA CGM L’ETOILE Wednesday
GCT ISLANDIA Wednesday
OT STAR LIVORNO Wednesday
GCT CSAV LARAQUETE Thursday
GCT MAERSK WINNIPEG Thursday
GCT JPO VULPECULA Thursday
GCT MSC STELLA Thursday
GCT MARE SICULUM Thursday
GCT ZIM VIRGINIA Thursday
GCT UASC SITRAH Thursday
GCT MOL MAGNIFICENCE Thursday
GCT PORTUGAL Thursday
GCT NYK RIGEL Thursday