Sonny Perdue News

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) offered praise for Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ for the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) work plan that lays out allocations for funds provided in the FY20 Energy & Water Development Appropriations bill toward the Corps’ civil works mission. The work plan was released late yesterday.Critical to the nation’s agricultural shippers and American family farmers, the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) (Upper Mississippi River – Illinois Waterway System: IL…

USDA Study Underscores Value of Inland Waterways to U.S. Agriculture.On August 28, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) for Civil Works R.D. James toured Mel Price Locks and Dam in Alton, Illinois, and held a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the importance of the waterways,  agriculture and the U.S. economy. At the event, Secretary Perdue briefed agricultural and waterways stakeholders on a newly released study – Importance of Inland Waterways to U.S. Agriculture – from the U.S.

WCI/NGFA Urge NESP Infrastructure Project to Move Forward.The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) today commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for releasing a significant new study that quantifies the cost-savings and competitive advantages that would accrue from investing in long-delayed improvements to inland waterways locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River system.The study, entitled, Importance of Inland Waterways to U.S.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) welcomed Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue (pictured left) to the Panama Canal September 24. Joined by senior leaders from the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) and the Georgia Department for Economic Development, Governor Perdue visited the Canal to learn about the historic expansion of the waterway and the anticipated benefits the project will bring to Georgia. ACP Administrator/CEO Albert Alemán Zubieta met with the Georgia delegation during their visit and provided an update on expansion, which continues to progress on-time and on-budget.

Members of the bi-state board leading the development of a deepwater port in Jasper County unanimously elected William L. Bethea Jr. of Hilton Head, South Carolina, to chair the Jasper Ocean Terminal Joint Project Office (JPO) on Feb. The chairman serves a one-year term and alternates between the two states. James S. Balloun of Georgia served as JPO chairman in 2008 and was elected vice chairman at the meeting. Bethea served for 12 years on the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) Board, four of those years as chairman, and has served on the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development. “This project is vitally important to the economic future of our region and the state of South Carolina,” said Bethea.

Governor Sonny Perdue announced the opening of the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility on Jan. 22 (ICTF) at the Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal. The new facility features three working tracks at 2,145 ft each and a total of 12,406 ft of storage tracks. The Port of Savannah is the only single facility on the U.S. East Coast with two on-terminal ICTFs. Today, Governor Perdue drove the ceremonial last spike into the Chatham ICTF rail. “A thriving business climate requires a transportation network that can support commerce and act as a catalyst to propel our economy forward,” said Governor Perdue. The Port of Savannah’s two Class I rail providers offer unrestricted double-stack service with two- to five-day transit times to major hubs throughout the Midwest…

According to Doug J. Marchand, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), the ports started off the new fiscal year with double-digit gains in both container growth and the movement of auto and machinery units. 127,471 TEUs (20-ft. Equivalent Units) were handled through the Port of Savannah during July 2003, the first month of GPA's 2004 fiscal year. The additional cargo represents a 16.4 percent increase over this time last year. Records also show that 26,529 auto and machinery units were handled through the Port of Brunswick during July, or an impressive 37.4 percent increase over this time last year. Several weeks ago…

Doug J. Marchand, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), gave the annual State of the Ports address today. "The State of the Port of Savannah has never been better!" Marchand proclaimed to more than 300 of Georgia's top maritime, business and community leaders. "We finished the year with more than 1.5 million TEUs and experienced an amazing 31.5 percent container growth. In his speech, Marchand outlined GPA's accomplishments and port expansions as well as ways that the Port of Savannah has helped create new jobs in a difficult economy. "I believe the success of the Port of Savannah will continue to be a catalyst for future economic recovery in Georgia," Marchand said.

Governor Sonny Perdue announced awarding $1.695 million in Port Security Grants to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA). security enhancements for our ports," said Governor Sonny Perdue. Management System at the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick. detection, and video surveillance. Department of Homeland Security. which is vital to securing our critical national seaports.

The Board of Directors of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) elected Stephen S. Green of Savannah to serve as Chairman of the Board. Green was first appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2004 by Governor Sonny Perdue and previously served as vice chairman. He is the President and CEO of Stephen Green Properties, a Commercial Real Estate Investment and Development Corporation. Green, who has served on numerous professional, civic and charitable boards and organizations, currently serves on the boards of Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Commission, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of First Chatham Bank and the Savannah Vocational Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees.