Georgia Port Volume Grows as Ro-Ro Surges

The volume of containers handled by the Port of Savannah increased 4.5 percent in March from the same month last year, at the same time as the number of roll-on, roll-off units passing through the Port of Brunswick surged 36 percent to a new monthly record.

Savannah handled 238,030 20-foot equivalent units in March, compared to 227,860 TEUs in March 2010. Volume to date for the 2011 fiscal year ending June 30 is 12.6 percent higher than for the same period in fiscal year 2010.

The Port of Brunswick posted its best month ever in March for automobile and machinery units or ro-ro cargo at Colonel’s Island Terminal, which handled a total of 42,740 units.

By The Numbers:
Containerized Ocean Trade - Georgia & South Carolina Ports

“We attribute the Port of Brunswick’s volume gains to a number of factors including economic recovery, a renewed consumer market for automobiles and the expanded vehicle processing center facilities,” said Curtis J. Foltz, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Ro-ro volume at Colonel’s Island Terminal posted a 51.7 fiscal year-to-date increase for fiscal 2011 compared with fiscal 2010. Growing automobile volume reflects market share gains by the primary brands the GPA handles, specifically Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Kia and Volkswagen.

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterTLeach.