Port of Savannah set records for both container volumes and total tonnage in May, with the highest tonnage ever recorded in a single month.
The Port of Savannah has handled more than 338,000 TEUs, the Georgia Ports Authority said Monday. The container throughput represented a 16.4 percent increase from May of 2014.
“Superior service and unmatched connectivity to inland markets are driving growth at Georgia's deepwater ports,” commented James Walters, who was re-elected as GPA’s board chairman on 29 June.
Walters added, “Our ability to handle expanding cargo volumes - without congestion delays - has set GPA apart in support of farming, retail and manufacturing customers.”
The bulk of the increase last month was primarily in loaded import containers, which were up 30.5 percent, and the repositioning of empty containers, up by nearly 69 percent. The number of loaded export containers was down 3.4 percent.
Savannah has been a major beneficiary of port congestion on the West Coast, which reached its zenith early this year when a labor dispute between dockworkers and management severely slowed cargo handling.
Many shippers have diverted cargo to Savannah on vessels moving through the Suez and Panama canals. So far, the port has been able to handle the growth with minimal disruptions.
During the first five months of the year, Savannah has moved 1.58 million TEUs, putting the port on pace to surpass last year’s record of 3.35 million standard shipping units.
Port Director Curtis Foltz attributed the growth, in part, to strong biofuel exports to Northern Europe, according to the GPA. Wood pellets used as a renewable fuel are a major piece of that activity.
Economists have also pointed to its proximity to the Panama Canal and strong intermodal railroad connections as reasons for Savannah’s growth. Savannah also recently received federal funding to deepen an 18-mile stretch of river to accommodate larger cargo ships.