Georgia Gov News

The Georgia Ports Authority broke ground on its $126.7 million Mason Mega Rail Terminal Monday. The expansion will increase the Port of Savannah's rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year, and open new markets spanning an arc of cities from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati. "Today is a great day for Georgia and the nation," said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. The Mega Rail ground breaking is the latest in a series of Gov. Deal's signature projects designed to make Georgia the transportation and logistics hub of North America - which include the recent announcement of 50 percent completion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, a new inland terminal in Northwest Georgia, and a $10 billion statewide transportation improvement plan.

As a result of the severe weather, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) said it will close its facilities in both Savannah and Brunswick Friday, September 2 ahead of Tropical Storm Hermine. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 56 counties, including Glynn and Chatham counties, where Georgia's deepwater ports are located. The U.S. Coast Guard will restrict vessel arrival and departure starting at 10 p.m. tonight. “Out of an abundance of caution, and for the safety of our employees…

The Georgia Ports Authority moved a record 3.66 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in Fiscal Year 2015, an increase of more than half a million TEUs. "The deepwater ports of Savannah and Brunswick are cornerstones of Georgia's success, and major factors in creating new jobs and prosperity across the state," said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. Strong performances across business sectors also led to records in total tonnage and roll-on/roll-off cargo in the year ending June 30.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visited the Port of Savannah on Thursday, for an update on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). "The SHEP will create economic opportunity not only across Georgia, but throughout the Southeast," said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. The harbor deepening, currently in the construction phase, will deepen the shipping channel from 42 to 47 feet at mean low water. This will allow today's larger, more efficient vessels to transit the channel with heavier loads and greater scheduling flexibility.

Harbor deepening moves into construction phase. On the heels of a state-federal agreement allowing the Savannah Harbor deepening to begin, the GPA has posted nearly 13 percent growth in container traffic for the first quarter of the fiscal year. "September's outstanding cargo volume continued a trend of double-digit growth," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. Since July, the Port of Savannah has moved 891,408 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 102,122 units. September cargo grew at the same rate, with the Port of Savannah moving 295,698 TEUs, up 33,876 (12.9 percent) compared to the same month a year ago. Release of the positive cargo numbers comes after the signing of a cost sharing agreement between Georgia and the U.S.

The Georgia Ports Authority moved more than 29 million tons of cargo, 3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) and more than 700,000 auto and machinery units in Fiscal Year 2014. “The board and staff of the Georgia Ports Authority are to be commended for their outstanding achievements this year,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “Our ports’ success is a win for us all, and a direct result of Georgia’s commitment to the GPA and support for critical port infrastructure projects such as the harbor deepening and enhanced access to I-95 and I-16.

The U.S. Senate’s passage of the federal Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) has cleared the way for construction to begin on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. The House passed identical legislation on Tuesday. Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz called the bill’s passage a critical milestone. “Today’s action is an important step toward better accommodating the larger vessels that are the new standard in global shipping,” said Foltz.

The $35 million in additional port deepening funds proposed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has been approved by the state legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature. Along with previous funding, Georgia has now allocated $266 million, fulfilling the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). “Lawmakers across Georgia recognize that improving the Savannah Harbor is critically important to the continued economic health of this state and region,” Deal said.

At the Georgia Ports Authority board meeting Monday, Executive Director Curtis Foltz reported that the GPA achieved record volumes and added additional customer accounts in October. "Strong growth, new customer accounts and additional harbor deepening funding announced this month are all positive signs that Georgia's ports are moving in the right direction," said Foltz. Georgia ports moved a record 2.54 million tons of cargo during October – a 22% increase over the same month a year ago. The Colonel’s Island Terminal at the Port of Brunswick and Savannah’s Ocean Terminal combined to move a record 62,343 units of automobiles and heavy machinery in October, for an increase of 10,045 or 19.2% over October 2012.

In his State of the Port address, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz reported record cargo volumes, an influx of new business, and more than 1 million square feet of distribution center space leased or developed. “Not only did the ports authority achieve strong growth across major segments of our business, but the private sector responded with the lease or development of more than 1.1 million square feet of distribution center space,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

A new inland port agreement signed today by Governor Nathan Deal, the Georgia Ports Authority and Cordele Intermodal Services will create and expand international markets for regional business. The agreement, which ensures a direct 200-mile rail route to and from GPA’s Garden City Terminal in Savannah, will serve as a gateway to Southwest Georgia and adjacent regions of Florida and Alabama. The partnership is outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MOU). “The GPA is one of our state’s strongest job creators, supporting more than 352,000 jobs across Georgia,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

The $50 million in additional port deepening funds proposed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has been approved by the state legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature. Along with previous funding, Georgia has allocated $231.1 million toward the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). Deepening the Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet will accommodate an increase in the number of super-sized container vessels transiting the Panama Canal after its 2015 expansion. With a deeper channel, larger and more heavily laden ships can arrive and depart with greater scheduling flexibility. These “Post Panamax” vessels will mean lower shipping costs per container slot.

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.

Georgia Ports Authority’s (GPA) Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz announced that the GPA handled more than 2.9 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit containers) at the Port of Savannah, more than 465,000 automobiles and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and nearly 2.2 million breakbulk tons for all terminals in fiscal year 2011 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011). “The Georgia Ports Authority’s double-digit growth is significant for our state in a recovering economy because it creates additional jobs,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. In FY2011, the GPA handled 2,927,338 TEUs, which is an 11 percent increase or an additional 289,595 TEUs compared with the previous year.