THE Georgia Ports Authority has acquired 145 acres of land to expand the port of Savannah by one million TEU in annual capacity.
"As the Georgia Ports Authority enters
its 75th year, we are proud to follow in the tradition of those who came
before us, making exciting advances in capacity and technology to
ensure our terminals remain at the forefront of global commerce," GPA
executive director Griff Lynch revealed at the Georgia Foreign Trade
Conference.
"This is the largest addition of container terminal space in Savannah in
more than 20 years, and represents a powerful opportunity for Georgia
to take on new trade."
During his presentation, Mr Lynch also announced that Garden City
Terminal dock construction has been completed, and can now serve three
14,000-TEU vessels simultaneously.
The improved dock and extra container yard space are part of a larger
blueprint to increase the GPA's capacity to nine million TEU by 2030. By
2023, the GPA will add an additional berth, for a total of four big
ship vessel slots.
In order to improve service, Savannah's Ocean Terminal will be partially
converted to handle containers. Renovations at Ocean Terminal, located
just downriver from the main container port, will include a new truck
gate, upgraded container yards and rubber-tyred gantry cranes for
container operations.
Construction is currently underway on the upgrades. Work on phase one of
the Ocean Terminal container yard is expected to be completed by the
end of this year.
Mr Lynch also outlined plans for the new Savannah Container Terminal, a
200-acre facility to be built on Hutchinson Island. The new facility
will have a capacity of 2.5 million TEU at full build out. Phase one is
projected to come online in 2025.
To ensure the GPA remains on the cutting edge of port staffing and
technology, Mr Lynch announced an expansion of the Authority's Y E S
(Youth learning Equipment and Safety) programme in which high school
graduates are hired and trained for equipment operator careers. GPA
hopes to begin hiring 50 fresh graduates per year to help meet staffing
needs.
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