Port expansion means more jobs in the Coastal Empire

SAVANNAH, Ga (WSAV) Georgia is home to some of the United States’ top shipping ports. Whether it’s imports or exports, much of our nation’s goods are moved through our state either by ship or rail.

The Port of Savannah is the third busiest container gateway in the country, and it’s about to get even bigger.

The Georgia Port Authority has several upcoming projects and improvements; one that has piqued public interest is the prospect of raising the bridge.

That plan is still in the design stages as the Georgia Department of Transportation is conducting a study on the bridge, with results expected later this year.

While that is being done, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is researching possible changes to the river, including dredging and widening.

In the meantime, the port authority is working on port expansions, specifically Garden City West, a $200M project that will connect rails and ports across the state.

“In 2024 we have Garden City West and then we have the Blue Ridge connector, which is up in Gainesville, Georgia.” says COO Ed McCarthy, “That’s a project that our board approved last month, and we’re going to get going on that project, getting another 100,000 trucks off the road.”

The Appalachian Regional Port in Dalton, Ga, also helped to take about 70,000 additional trucks off the road in 2023.

McCarthy says one of the products driving growth, is the automobile and machine industry. Our sister city to the south is poised to become the nation’s busiest port for autos and machinery as

The Georgia Ports Authority has transferred 30,000 vehicles in annual trade from Savannah and is investing $260M into expanding The Port of Brunswick, “Where we have one pillar here in Savannah, the container business, down in Brunswick we have the largest facility in North America, for autos.” Says McCarthy, “It has over 700,000 auto and machinery pieces going through there and we’re expanding for the future because the auto business is expanding as well.”