SIMIC

THE Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) handled 552,800 TEU in October, for an increase of 9.6 per cent (48,460 TEU) compared to the same month last year, making it the second busiest month on record after only August this year, when the Port of Savannah handled 575,500 TEU.
GPA has now topped half a million TEU in three of the first four months of fiscal year 2023, for total volumes of 2.1 million TEU for the year to date.
"There has been downward pressure on the total US container trade related to inflation and a shift in consumer spending toward services such as restaurants and travel," said GPA board chairman Joel Wooten. "However, the Port of Savannah continues to outperform relative to the national market, driving new business for Georgia."
GPA executive director Griff Lynch said: "Customers continue to bring new or expanding business to the Port of Savannah, drawn by our global connectivity and the supply chain network that links Savannah to major US markets.
"We can report that ships at anchor are trending downward and expanded berth capacity coming online next year will allow us to serve our growing customer base with even greater efficiency."
Additionally, Savannah and other East and Gulf Coast ports have been gaining market share relative to the West Coast. According to the most recent data from PIERS/IHS Markit, the East Coast increased its share of the container trade from 47 per cent in July 2021 to 48.4 per cent in July of this year.
The Port of Brunswick also achieved significant growth in October. Colonel's Island Terminal handled 70,233 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo last month, an increase of 22,045 units or nearly 46 per cent.