The Port of Savannah reached the record of 4.32 million TEUs in 2018, experiencing an increase by 7.5% in comparison to 2017. Specifically, in December the port handled 351.366 TEUs, a rise by 8.7% that is equal to 28.250 TEUs, according to a report from Georgia Ports Authority press release.
GPA Board Chairman, Jimmy Allgood, reported that the reason why Georgia’s ports remain the fastest growing in the nation is because they are quickly adding capacity to operations.
Moreover, he continued that in February, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed outer harbor dredging at the Port of Savannah, marking the midpoint of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP).
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The federal government provided $101.12 million to continue with the project’s construction this year and inner harbor dredging is on track to start in 2019.
According to the press release, the Authority has ordered 12 new rubber-tired gantry cranes to serve the Port of Savannah, bringing its fleet to 158.
The first 10 new RTGs are to arrive and be commissioned in July, following additional two in September.
Also, a ship-to-shore cranes is being constructed and is scheduled to arrive in 2010. The new cranes will bring the Port of Savannah’s fleet to 36 and allow the port to increase big ship capacity.
Additional to its terminals, Port of Savanah’s rail volume reflected a 19% increase compared to 2017, transferring 478,669 containers – approximately 860,000 TEUs.
Concluding, December also closed the second quarter of the GPA’s fiscal year. For the first half of Fiscal Year 2019, July-December 2018, the Port of Savannah moved 2.2 million TEUs, up 176,800 TEUS, or 8.6%. In total cargo, GPA handled 18.1 million tons for the first half of FY2019.
