10 consecutive months of positive year-over-year growth in Savannah
The Port of Savannah handled 478,620 twenty-foot equivalent container units in May, an increase of 41.9 percent compared to last year. It was the second busiest month in the port’s history, and the 10th consecutive month of positive year-over-year growth, according to the company's release.
Port officials said the facilities saw a fast recovery from the global economic downturn of 2020.
For the fiscal year to date (June through May), GPA has moved nearly 4.9 million TEUs, putting it on pace to surpass 5 million TEUs for the first time. Total cargo crossing all GPA docks reached 3.8 million tons last month, up 26 percent, or 781,121 tons. Rail volumes for the month grew 28 percent, or approximately 12,029 lifts, for a total of 54,436 containers.
To keep up with this unprecedented growth, GPA has accelerated its hiring efforts, bringing on nearly 150 new employees since January 2021. Many of these employees are being trained in jockey trucks, yard cranes and other equipment to handle growth at GPA’s facilities.
GPA’s trade in vehicles and machinery units also soared last month, growing by 48,830 units, or 347 percent, for a total of 62,873 units. The auto industry was hit particularly hard during COVID-19 as many manufacturers faced plant closures and supply chain disruptions.
Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 496,700 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $29 billion in income, $122 billion in revenue and $3.4 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 9.3 percent of total U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.5 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2020.
