THE Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) handled a record 437,750 TEU in August, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.5 per cent.
'We're seeing an early and strong start to peak season at the port of Savannah,' GPA executive director Griff Lynch was quoted as saying in a report by AJOT. 'In addition to expanding trade on our regular weekly services, shipping lines are adding calls by sweeper ships to meet rising demand.'
In August, GPA accommodated eight extra ships plus its regular 37 weekly vessel calls, adding 20,000 TEU to the month's throughput. Mr Lynch highlighted that increased business through the port of Savannah is driving private investment, although the industrial vacancy rate remains low. Of structures offering 100,000 square feet or more, the vacancy rate is 1.42 per cent.
'At GPA, we're making a call to action for private developers to enter or expand in this very active market,' said GPA board chairman Will McKnight. 'Within a 30-mile radius of the port of Savannah, there are more than 20,000 acres of industrial park space ready for development.'
Over the past two years, property that the Georgia Ports Authority put on the market within its Savannah River International Trade Park has been developed, adding five million square feet of distribution space. At its September meeting, the GPA Board approved US$3.75 million in road improvement projects to avoid truck congestion at the trade park.
New construction in fiscal year 2019 added 10.7 million square feet of industrial space across the Savannah market, for a total of 67.7 million square feet, most of which has already been occupied.
In April, California-based Plastic Express, in conjunction with Capital Development Partners, unveiled plans to invest $172 million in a new 2.4 million square foot Savannah facility. The first phase of the rail-served location is due to commence operations in November.
WORLD SHIPPING
'We're seeing an early and strong start to peak season at the port of Savannah,' GPA executive director Griff Lynch was quoted as saying in a report by AJOT. 'In addition to expanding trade on our regular weekly services, shipping lines are adding calls by sweeper ships to meet rising demand.'
In August, GPA accommodated eight extra ships plus its regular 37 weekly vessel calls, adding 20,000 TEU to the month's throughput. Mr Lynch highlighted that increased business through the port of Savannah is driving private investment, although the industrial vacancy rate remains low. Of structures offering 100,000 square feet or more, the vacancy rate is 1.42 per cent.
'At GPA, we're making a call to action for private developers to enter or expand in this very active market,' said GPA board chairman Will McKnight. 'Within a 30-mile radius of the port of Savannah, there are more than 20,000 acres of industrial park space ready for development.'
Over the past two years, property that the Georgia Ports Authority put on the market within its Savannah River International Trade Park has been developed, adding five million square feet of distribution space. At its September meeting, the GPA Board approved US$3.75 million in road improvement projects to avoid truck congestion at the trade park.
New construction in fiscal year 2019 added 10.7 million square feet of industrial space across the Savannah market, for a total of 67.7 million square feet, most of which has already been occupied.
In April, California-based Plastic Express, in conjunction with Capital Development Partners, unveiled plans to invest $172 million in a new 2.4 million square foot Savannah facility. The first phase of the rail-served location is due to commence operations in November.
WORLD SHIPPING