The Georgia Ports Authority achieved significant business gains in November 2013, with a 6.6% increase in 20-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) for the month and a 7.3% increase in total tonnage across all terminals.
In November, the GPA moved 243,233 TEUs and reached 2,414,630 in total tonnage for the month. That compares with 228,184 TEUs and 2,249,431 total tons in November 2012.
“New customers, combined with better-than-anticipated growth in the national economy in recent months, have boosted terminal throughput for November and for the fiscal year-to-date,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.
The Port of Savannah has also seen recent private investment in refrigerated cargo warehousing that supports Georgia’s poultry exports.
In addition to the monthly gains, the GPA moved more than 1.3 million TEUs for the fiscal year-to-date through November, for a 5.5% (or 68,374 TEU) increase over FY2013. In total cargo, the GPA has moved more than 12 million tons through the first five months of the fiscal year, an 8.8% increase over the 11 million tons moved during the same period in FY2013.
“Georgia’s deepwater ports are capturing a growing market share because our efficient terminals make it easier and faster for customers to use our facilities, and our superior road and rail connections save them money reaching major markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Memphis,” said Robert Jepson, GPA board chairman.
Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 352,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $18.5 billion in income, $66.9 billion in revenue and $2.5 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 8% of the US containerized cargo volume and 10.9% of all US containerized exports in FY2013.
For more information, access www.gaports.com.