Governor Approves $46.7m for Harbor Deepening
Georgia Governor, Nathan Deal visited the Port of Savannah on April 24, 2012 to mark the passage of the state budget, including an additional $46.7 million to help pay for the Savannah Harbor deepening. The new money, passed by the General Assembly as part of the Governor’s FY2013 budget request, brings the total of dedicated state dollars to $181.1 million. “The strong support that business and elected leaders across Georgia have shown for this project is justified, based on federal findings,” Deal said. Governor Deal’s visit comes after the April 11 release of the U.S.
Georgia Ports Announce 1Q Growth
Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz announced the ports saw a growth rate of 5.0 percent in the first quarter of FY2012, moving 6.5 million tons of freight. Over the same period in FY2011, the port moved 6.2 million tons of cargo. Measured in twenty-foot equivalent units, the GPA’s container volumes saw growth of 3.7 percent. During the July through September period, the ports moved 770,190 TEUs, compared with 742,593 last year. The positive quarterly container results were aided by an early peak shipment of holiday goods, which occurred during September, delivering 11.1 percent TEU growth for the month. “We are developing new opportunities for growth during these challenging economic times,” Foltz said.
Ports Generate Jobs in Georgia
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz gathered Tuesday, October 25, for a panel discussion at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s third annual State of the Port event in Atlanta. The three leaders spoke about the ports’ impact on jobs and commerce, their importance to the Southeast’s economic future and the need to deepen the Port of Savannah. In FY2011 alone, more than 1,500 new port-related jobs and $295 million in investment were created in the Atlanta region, according to new figures released today by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Elected officials from both sides of the aisle and business leaders from all corners of the state understand the significance the ports have as an economic engine,” Gov.
