Posted on May 19, 2025
The Port of Brunswick received key funding Thursday toward dredging of its harbor, a project needed for the Georgia Ports Authority to increase efficiency at its Roll on/Roll off port.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included $35.3 million in its annual fiscal year work plan for the Port of Brunswick, according to a release from U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who is the Infrastructure, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee chairman.
The Brunswick Harbor has not been at its authorized depth of 38-feet since 2010, and its last dredging occurred in 2007. The lack of maintenance on the harbor has made ships unable to access the Port of Brunswick at full capacity.
“As the largest and busiest port in the United States for handling automobiles and machinery, the maintenance of Brunswick’s harbor is critical before vessel access to the port is limited,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch in a statement.
Brunswick visit: U.S. Congressman visits Port of Brunswick on “fact-finding mission” of harbor’s needs
GPA announced earlier this year the Port of Brunswick was the nation’s busiest Roll on/Roll off port. Brunswick’s port moves all of GPA’s auto and heavy machinery cargo.
The harbor is designed to be 38-feet deep and 500-feet wide at mean low water, which is the average height of low tides over a period of time. The channel, however, measures less than 35-feet deep and 200-feet wide at average low water heights.
GPA officials raised awareness of the Brunswick harbor’s needs earlier this year, which included hosting Collins on a “fact-finding” visit in Brunswick. On the trip, Collins took a boat trip to survey the shipping channel before remarks to the press.
The congressman said at the time that bringing first-hand stories back to Washington D.C. creates greater impact when working with colleagues in Congress. Collins celebrated the new funding in Thursday’s press release.
“Though there is much work to be done to find a permanent solution that allows for continual on time and on budget maintenance dredging of America’s ports, I applaud the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their commitment to the Port of Brunswick and I look forward to the port growing its footprint in the Southeast,” Collins said.
GPA officials praised the state’s congressional representatives in statements Thursday, including nods to Collins, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
“This is a critical funding allocation that is needed immediately for the Port of Brunswick,” said GPA Chief Administrative Officer Jamie McCurry. “The advocacy of the Georgia Congressional delegation, Governor Brian Kemp and the many stakeholders involved has been clear and consistent.”
