Posted on October 27, 2020
Despite worldwide slowdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, operations at the Port of Savannah continue on the upward swing with 1.2 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) handled during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2021, an increase of 1.6% compared to the previous year.
During August the port handled 441,600 TEUs marking not only the best August on record, but the best overall month on record in the history of the GPA and a monthly record in September growing TEUs by 11.4%, or 42,140, for a total of 412,148 TEUs.
“Just about 20 years ago, (1.2 million TEUs) was the entire volume we handled all year long,” Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch said Thursday during the annual State of the Port Address.
Typically held each year at the Savannah Convention Center, this year’s event was held virtually and included live and recorded portions, including messages and segments featuring Gov. Brian Kemp, Savannah-Chatham County Public School Superintendent Ann Levett, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Pat Wilson and more.
Board Chairman Will McKnight said by taking the State of the Port address online, GPA is able to share Savannah’s competitive advantages with a broader audience.
“We have been able to reach out to thousands more people than we ever have before,” he said. “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to virtually bring our stakeholders and customers onto a working port.”
Looking ahead Lynch said he anticipates October to be a break even month year over year, November is looking strong, but it’s too early to predict what will happen in December he said.
“I think maybe the election has a play in it, we’ll have to see what people feel after the election and where we stand, but right now we still have a lot of cargo on the water, which is great and all positive things,” he said.
Lynch and McKnight also provided updates on several projects including the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, which is 75% complete; the Mason Mega Rail Terminal, which will double the Port of Savannah’s annual rail capacity to 2 million TEUs. Nine new working tracks have been commissioned, with another nine slated for completion in 2021.
Expanding container handling capabilities at Ocean Terminal to serve smaller ships while berth renovations are ongoing at Garden City, which will be completed by the end of 2020.
It was also announced the FedEx Ground will lease 415,00 square feet of distribution space at Belfast Commerce Park in Bryan County, The carrier will be located in a 1.2 million square-foot distribution center under development by medical supply manufacturer Medline Industries Inc.
“Out of the 4.4 million TEUs that we handled, last year 120,000 TEUs were medical supplies, so with this Medline announcement that’s going to grow and become even more prominent and the other companies I’m sure will grow as well,” he said.
Lynch also announced that Hooker Furniture, HMI, will open a new 800,000 square-foot distribution facility in Liberty County’s Tradeport East Business Center. The $23.5 million investment will deliver 50 new jobs.
“That’s joining the already 300,000 TEUs of furniture and home furnishings, so that’s already a strong market for us,” he said.
Following the address Lynch said while operations aren’t back to normal the GPA employees are doing a great job and he’s pleased at the progress.
“Given where we are today and where we thought we’d be, I couldn’t tell you that I’m not pleased,” he said.
“We’re happy that things are going OK.”
Source: savannahnow
