Georgia Ports Authority closes fiscal year 2026 with strong Savannah volumes, record growth at the Appalachian Regional Port and continued investment in freight infrastructure.
The Port of Savannah handled 483,684 twenty-foot equivalent container units in June, marking an 18% increase compared with the same month last year.
June volumes increased by nearly 73,300 TEUs year over year, providing a strong close to the Georgia Ports Authority’s 2026 fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
“We finished the fiscal year on a strong volume note,” GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said. “Our port and inland infrastructure are all coming together nicely.”
Lynch credited Georgia Ports employees, Gateway Terminals and the International Longshoremen’s Association for providing the service that helped attract additional cargo.
The Port of Savannah handled 5.67 million TEUs during fiscal year 2026, slightly below the 5.7 million TEUs moved during the previous fiscal year.
“We are growing organically and seeing cargo shifting to Savannah,” GPA Chairman Alec Poitevint said. “Our $5 billion port master plan is working and ready for the future.”
Appalachian Regional Port Sets Annual Record
The Appalachian Regional Port in Northwest Georgia handled a record 49,319 intermodal containers during fiscal year 2026.
The inland terminal’s volume increased 20%, representing a gain of more than 8,100 containers compared with fiscal year 2025.
Georgia Ports also expanded its inland port network in May with the opening of the $134 million Gainesville Inland Port. The rail-connected facility serves as an extension of the Port of Savannah for manufacturers and other cargo customers across Northeast Georgia.
“Georgia’s ports have been a key asset in recruiting new business ventures and creating new opportunities for hardworking Georgians through the world-class infrastructure and logistics capabilities they provide,” Gov. Brian Kemp said.
Savannah Rail Volume Exceeds 500,000 Containers
Georgia Ports moved 541,405 containers by rail through the Mason Mega Rail Terminal during fiscal year 2026. It marked the third consecutive year in which Savannah’s annual rail volume exceeded 500,000 containers.
Rail accounted for approximately 17% of the Port of Savannah’s container trade during the fiscal year, with the remaining cargo transported by truck.
The port currently provides access to 42 double-stack trains per week, approximately 40 weekly vessel calls and an average of 14,000 truck-gate moves per day.
Brampton Road Connector Improves Port Access
The Georgia Department of Transportation opened the Brampton Road Connector to port truck traffic July 15, completing a major freight corridor serving the Port of Savannah.
The $130 million, four-lane highway connects Garden City Terminal’s Gate 3 directly with the interstate system. The roadway eliminates at-grade rail crossings on heavily traveled streets while reducing port truck traffic in surrounding neighborhoods.
The connector is expected to provide safer, faster access for freight moving between the Garden City Terminal and Savannah’s regional highway network.
Additional Georgia DOT projects supporting port and regional traffic include the $295 million expansion of the Interstate 16 and Interstate 95 interchange.
The state also awarded a $468.35 million contract to widen approximately 18 miles of I-16 between I-95 and State Route 67. The project will expand the highway from two to three lanes in each direction while replacing six bridges and widening another six.
Georgia Ports Extends Panama Canal Partnership
The Georgia Ports Authority signed a five-year extension to its memorandum of understanding with the Panama Canal Authority.
GPA leaders hosted Panama Canal Administrator Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales in Savannah to recognize the organizations’ longstanding partnership.
“The Panama Canal plays an important role in our service level, market access and supply chain speed,” Lynch said.
The agreement supports continued cooperation between the two authorities on trade development and global supply-chain connectivity.
Port of Brunswick Handles 763,122 RoRo Units
The Port of Brunswick handled 763,122 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo during fiscal year 2026.
Automobiles accounted for 713,179 units, while heavy machinery represented another 49,943 units. Total RoRo volume declined 12.4%, or 107,650 units, amid challenging global market conditions.
Brunswick is a leading U.S. gateway for automobile and heavy-equipment cargo. Georgia Ports plans to add a fourth RoRo berth as part of its long-term infrastructure program.
Georgia Ports Announces Board Appointments
Gov. Kemp appointed Martin “Trey” E. Kilpatrick III, senior vice president of external affairs for Georgia Power, to the Georgia Ports Authority Board.
Lauren Curry, the governor’s chief of staff, will succeed Kilpatrick as an ex-officio member.
Board members Will McKnight of Augusta, Philip Wilheit Jr. of Gainesville and Joel Wooten of Columbus were reappointed. The board also elected Dave Cyr, president of Parrish Construction Group, to serve as secretary-treasurer.
Georgia Ports is advancing a nearly $5 billion, self-funded investment plan over the next decade. The program includes five additional large-vessel container berths in Savannah and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick.
Over the past 10 years, the GPA Board has approved approximately $4.13 billion in infrastructure improvements.
