Brunswick Ro/Ro Capacity Up by 50%
Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griff Lynch said the GPA increased auto processing capacity at Colonel’s Island Terminal by 50 percent over the past 12 months, all of which has been absorbed by processors and manufacturers. The Port of Brunswick now has an annual capacity of 800,000 vehicles.
“Since last year, we’ve been implementing an aggressive growth plan, enabling GPA and our auto processing partners to win new customers and capture greater market share,” Lynch said.
The Roll-on/Roll-off terminal has expanded from 60,000 spaces in 2016 to 90,000 spaces today, for a total capacity of 800,000 cars per year. The additional space already has been absorbed by auto processors Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, Mercedes and International Auto Processors. The three port customers have increased their operations by a total of 200 acres on the island’s south side, bringing auto processing space to 600 acres.
“Last year, we told you we would be implementing an infrastructure investment philosophy we’ve used at Savannah’s container operation for years now,” said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. “That philosophy is to maintain capacity above current demand. Investing for the future has enabled the GPA to take on new customers and handle greater than expected container growth without congestion or capacity worries. We anticipate the same benefits for the auto trade here in Brunswick.”
Plans call for further expansion that will allow the GPA to move, process and store some 1.4 million vehicles annually. In FY2017, the GPA handled 607,000 units of Ro/Ro cargo in Brunswick.
While the Port of Brunswick is already the single largest auto port in the country, GPA’s combined Ro/Ro cargo for Savannah and Brunswick ranks as the nation’s second-busiest operation. However, Georgia’s deepwater auto ports have been adding volume faster than competitors. Over the past 10 years, GPA has led the nation with a growth rate of 8 percent – nearly four times the rate of the nearest competitor.
