Savannah Port Volume Slips 2.5% as Carriers Face Market Headwinds

Key Details Georgia's Port of Savannah processed 4.7 million TEUs during the July-April fiscal year, down 2.5% compared to the previous period. April saw the steepest decline with a 14% drop from last year's record-breaking month, when tariff-driven frontloading boosted volumes to unprecedented levels. Why It Matters Shippers are contending with softer demand and elevated operating costs across the supply chain. Port leadership acknowledges these market pressures while maintaining focus on long-term infrastructure readiness to capture growth when conditions improve. Investment and Growth Plans Georgia Ports Authority is executing a $5 billion, 10-year capital plan projecting 54% capacity growth. Improvements include five new container berths at Savannah and one new roll-on/roll-off berth at Brunswick, now America's top auto import gateway. Brunswick and Inland Expansion Brunswick handled 64,305 units in April, up 2% year-over-year, with heavy equipment shipments rising 7%. The port is upgrading with a $100 million ro/ro berth and dredging projects. Meanwhile, GPA launched the new $134 million Gainesville Inland Port, offering direct rail service to Savannah and targeting 26,000 container shifts from truck to rail annually. Savannah Terminal Modernization Ocean Terminal renovations are 50% complete on a $1.6 billion project designed to boost annual capacity from 200,000 to 1.75 million TEUs.