SAVANNAH, Ga., Feb. 6, 2026 – Georgia Ports Authority representatives discussed the business benefits of GPA’s newest inland terminal, the Blue Ridge Connector, at an event hosted by the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission on Friday, Jan. 30. Construction on the $134 million Gainesville-area rail yard is nearing completion, with the facility scheduled to open in May.
Forty economic development and industry leaders from across Northeast Georgia gathered to discover the perks of a direct rail link to the Port of Savannah’s global trade network.
“We held this information session to make people aware of what an inland port is, and what opportunities might be there for businesses and local governments to work together,” said Patrick Larson, Economic Development director at GMRC. “We invited a lot of private industry in the region, logistics operators, economic developers and local government officials.”
Larson said the aim is “to give people tools in their toolbox.”
Direct rail service via Norfolk Southern will provide a new option to a 600-mile roundtrip truck haul, easing highway congestion, reducing emissions and eliminating costly empty container moves.
Linked directly to the Port of Savannah’s network of 39 ocean carrier services, the terminal will improve the region’s access to global markets, according to Taylor Worley, assistant manager of market research and economic development for Georgia Ports.
Gainesville, Georgia is home to expanding logistics capacity, and growth in food processing, automotive supplies, plastics, and life sciences industries.
“The Blue Ridge Connector will have significant economic implications for our region, potentially attracting more industries to our area,” said Christa Andrews, sales manager for event sponsor Corporate Storage. “Invitations to the panel discussion were extended to individuals outside Hall County who would’ve been interested in more detailed information regarding the Blue Ridge Connector’s inauguration. The event informed people about the BRC and its potential positive impact on manufacturers, distributors, and supporting industries in northeast Georgia, and Corporate Storage was eager to support that effort by the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission.”
Other organizations represented at the event included the Georgia Center for Innovation, Norfolk Southern, Syfan Logistics, Georgia Power, Jackson EMC, LiftOne, and the University of North Georgia/Gainesville. Jackson EMC provided space for the event at its Gainesville, Ga., facility.
“The Blue Ridge Connector will support an existing industrial base of more than 330 manufacturers in the region,” said David Porter, Georgia Ports Regional Sales Manager. “It will also attract new industry and support job creation across Hall County and Northeast Georgia. That’s a dynamic that has already been proven with our Appalachian Regional Port in Northwest Georgia.”
Porter joined in a panel discussion, along with Zach Groover, project manager for Oakwood, Ga.-based Capable Transport, Kubota FTZ Administrator Gabrielle Yarbrough, and Sean Lydon, president of ISCM, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm focused on establishing foreign trade zones.
ABOUT GEORGIA PORTS
Georgia’s Ports in Savannah and Brunswick are strategic gateways, creating the most competitive supply chains in the nation with their level of operations, connectivity and supply chain ecosystem. These attributes combined with Georgia’s ranking as the top state to do business for 12 consecutive years create a unique business model for growth. The Port of Savannah is one of the best-connected ports in the U.S. to world markets with 39 ship calls a week, 42 doublestack trains per week and 14,000 truck gate moves daily. The Port of Brunswick is the top U.S. RoRo port for automotive and machinery logistics with over $262 million in recent upgrades and a new $100 million fourth berth being built. GPA has a self-financed $4.5 billion investment plan for the next ten years which will see five new big ship berths added in Savannah and a fourth berth in Brunswick to meet future growth. In the past decade, GPA has invested $3.2 billion in infrastructure improvements. As part of GPA’s community engagement efforts, $6 million is being donated to port communities to support a multi-year, local workforce housing initiative. For further information, visit gaports.com or contact Edward Fulford, Manager of Media Relations at [email protected] 912-964-3806.
