The Port of Savannah, Georgia, USA, handled 486,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units in September, an increase of 35,280 TEUs or 8 percent compared to the same month last year. For the fiscal year to date (July 1-Sept. 30), Savannah’s container trade is up 4.7 percent or 66,845 TEUs to nearly 1.5 million TEUs.
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“We’re focused on berth, rail, truck gate and container yard operations to offer the best service in these competitive times for our customers. 50-minute trucker turn times for dual moves at our gates and 22 hours average rail dwell are examples of operational metrics we’re consistently delivering,” said Georgia Ports (GPA) President and CEO Griff Lynch.
It was GPA’s busiest September for total rail lifts, at 51,235 containers, up 21 percent or nearly 9,000 lifts compared to September 2024. For the fiscal year to date, GPA achieved total rail lifts of nearly 150,000, an increase of 4.7 percent. The Appalachian Regional Port set a record of 4,453 container lifts last month, an increase of 48 percent or 1,450 lifts. Since July, the ARP has handled 11,465 containers, up 1,340 or 13 percent. The Port of Savannah’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal also had a strong performance, moving 46,782 containers, up 19 percent or 7,530 lifts in September. Mason Mega Rail has moved more than 138,400 containers this fiscal year through September, an increase of 5,380 lifts or 4 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.
The Port of Savannah completed 316,889 truck gate transactions in September, counting both import and export container moves. Turn times for dropping off or picking up a single container averaged 32 minutes in September. Dual export-import moves averaged 50 minutes. Dual moves, in which a driver drops off an export and picks up an import container, make up approximately 80 percent of truck transactions at the Port of Savannah, reducing trips and avoiding emissions. Truck drivers serving the Port of Savannah complete an average of six to eight turns per day, representing the industry’s best supply chain speed through a container port.
Roll-on/Roll-off Cargo
Colonels Island Terminal at the Port of Brunswick handled 55,811 units of autos and heavy equipment in September, a decrease of 30 percent or 24,100 units compared to the same month last year. Heavy equipment alone accounted for 4,119 units in September, down from 5,686 units in September 2024.
Auto manufacturers have reduced production and shipment of some vehicles to the US as they consider changes to manufacturing locations and target markets. Luxury vehicle exports to Asia are also down, related to stiffer competition from domestic Asian auto manufacturers. The September dip follows an August decline, with RoRo volumes seeing paused shipments from manufacturers in Europe, Asia and Mexico.
Construction of Berth 4 is ongoing with an expected completion in 2027. “Market cycles are a normal part of business and reflected in supply chain flow. We’re focused on adding new berth capabilities to help our RoRo customers compete stronger in the future,” Lynch added.