According to Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) President and CEO Griff Lynch, Georgia's Savannah Port is the fastest-growing container gateway on the U.S. East Coast, with container volumes up 12.5% compared to 2023. 

GPA handled nearly 5.6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) last year, an increase of approximately 618,000 TEUs compared to 2023.

In a presentation at the annual Savannah State of the Port Address, the CEO explained that what sets the ports of Savannah and Brunswick apart is building strong partnerships, superior connectivity, ample capacity ahead of demand, and a responsible approach with communities.

He also laid out plans to increase capacity in Savannah, add berth space over the short and long term, boost container yard and rail capacity, and grow the truck gates at the Port of Savannah before an audience of more than 1,700 business leaders and elected officials at the Savannah Convention Center.

To stay ahead of demand, Lynch announced the opening of a new lay berth effective immediately at Ocean Terminal. A second lay berth at Ocean Terminal will come online in 2026. 

Phase I of the Ocean Terminal yard renovation will be completed in mid-2027; and the second phase will be by mid-2028. This will increase capacity by up to 1.5 million TEUs per year.

The expansion, he explained, is needed to handle growing business, “Growth at the nation’s gateway terminals outpaced all other ports in the nation, and Savannah is the gateway port for the U.S. Southeast,” Lynch said. “We see this pattern only continuing to accelerate."