The OOCL Iris set the new record for vessel capacity at the Port of Savannah with its arrival Tuesday, Feb. 25. The Iris can carry nearly 17,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units of cargo. (Georgia Ports)
Georgia DOT working to raise Talmadge Bridge, allow for expanding vessel sizes
The OOCL Iris, the largest capacity vessel to ever call the Port of Savannah, arrived at Garden City Terminal Tuesday, Feb. 25.
With a maximum capacity of 16,828 twenty-foot equivalent container units, the OOCL Iris is 1,204 feet long and 167 feet wide. The CMA CGM Marco Polo held the previous maximum capacity record at the Port of Savannah, at 16,022 TEUs.
The Port of Savannah will perform more than 2,800 container moves on and off the Iris, mostly 40-foot containers equaling just over 5,000 TEUs. The vessel is slated to depart Savannah around midnight Wednesday, Feb. 26.
In 2026, the Georgia Department of Transportation will begin construction on a project to replace existing cables on the Talmadge Bridge, lifting its height. This will allow even larger vessels to serve the Port of Savannah.
About Georgia Ports
Georgia’s ports and inland terminals support more than 609,000 jobs throughout the state annually, contributing $40 billion in income, $171 billion in revenue and $5.3 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. GPA anticipates investing $4.2 billion in the next ten years as part of its port master plan to expand cargo handling capabilities to support future supply chain requirements. As part of GPA’s community engagement efforts, $6 million will be donated to communities located near the Port of Savannah to support a multi-year, local workforce housing initiative. CNBC ranked Georgia #1 in the U.S. for infrastructure in America’s Top States for Business in 2024. Area Development – a site selection news outlet for the U.S., has ranked Georgia as the Top State to Do Business for 11 consecutive years. For further information, visit gaports.com or contact Tom Boyd, Chief Communications Officer, tboyd@gaports.com 912-964-3884.
