Port of Savannah: 18% Increase in Cargo Volume in June

The Port of Savannah closed fiscal year 2026 (July 1 to June 30) with what it described as positive results, recording a volume of 483,684 TEUs in June, an increase of almost 73,300 TEUs or 18% compared to the same month last year.

The Appalachian Regional Port, in northwest Georgia, handled a record 49,319 intermodal containers in fiscal year 2026, which translated into a 20% increase or more than 8,100 containers, compared to fiscal year 2025.

Last May, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) inaugurated the Gainesville inland port at a cost of $134 million, an extension of the Port of Savannah connected by rail that serves the manufacturing and industrial hub of northeast Georgia.

"Georgia's ports have been a key asset in attracting new businesses and creating new opportunities for Georgian workers thanks to the world-class infrastructure and logistics capabilities they offer. We are proud to recognize the incredible contributions of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) to our state and national economies, and I want to personally congratulate the new members of its board of directors," said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

"We closed the fiscal year with solid operational volume. Our port and inland infrastructure is performing flawlessly. We want to recognize the team: Georgia Ports employees, Gateway Terminals, and the ILA, whose efforts earned the support of our customers," said Griff Lynch, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority.

"We are growing organically and seeing an increase in cargo traffic to Savannah. Our $5 billion port master plan is working and prepared for the future," added Alec Poitevint, Chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Cargo owners transported 5.67 million TEUs through the Port of Savannah's docks in fiscal year 2026, a figure slightly lower than the 5.7 million achieved the previous year.

In fiscal year 2026, GPA moved 541,405 containers by rail at Mason Mega Rail, surpassing half a million for the third consecutive year. Rail cargo accounted for 17% of Savannah's total container trade in fiscal year 2026, while the remainder was transported by road.

Meanwhile, the Port of Brunswick's roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo volume reached 763,122 units in fiscal year 2026, of which 713,179 were automobiles and 49,943 were heavy machinery. Difficult global market conditions created challenges for the sector, and quantities decreased by 12.4% or 107,650 Ro-Ro units, compared to the previous year.

In addition, the Georgia Ports Authority recognized its long-standing collaboration with the Panama Canal Authority by signing a five-year extension of their Memorandum of Understanding. Executive Director Griff Lynch and the board of directors hosted a dinner in Savannah in honor of Administrator Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales.

"The Panama Canal plays a critical role in our service level, market access, and supply chain agility. We want to recognize and congratulate Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales for his collaboration, friendship, and leadership at the helm of the Panama Canal Authority during these past seven years," added Lynch.