Adding cranes in Savannah or doubling Ro/Ro space in Brunswick is about more than boosting already impressive cargo numbers.
The point is ensuring our ability to grow along with our customers, and never experiencing the congestion that occurs when demand becomes equal to capacity. GPA employees, our partners in the ILA and service providers deliver unmatched service on our terminals today. In our efforts to enhance that world-class service, we are making progress on several fronts.
On the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, the work to deepen the entrance channel to 49 feet and extend it by seven miles is more than 55 percent complete. The deeper water will allow Garden City Terminal to better accommodate vessels carrying up to 13,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units, strengthening Savannah’s role as the gateway for containerized trade in the U.S. Southeast.
At Garden City Terminal, the design phase is progressing for our new mega rail terminal. The initiative reached its first major milestone in March, receiving overwhelming support after a presentation to the neighboring Garden City community. Construction contracts on sections of the project should be awarded by the end of 2017, with full completion slated for 2020.
In Chatsworth, Ga., construction has begun on GPA’s second inland terminal that will improve rail service and open new markets in Alabama,
At Colonel’s Island at the Port of Brunswick, 214 acres are in the design or development stages, bringing auto processing space to 547 acres. In addition to the land now being developed, the Authority plans to add another 510 acres on the island’s south side to support auto processing. This will double the capacity for cars and heavy machinery in Brunswick.
Over the years, Georgia has made substantial investments in freight mobility. As the current level of activity shows, we’re taking the steps necessary to maintain and strengthen our ability to support manufacturers and retailers from the Southeast and beyond.
