Georgia Ports launches new harbor deepening study

The Georgia Ports Authority has issued a letter of intent to Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, detailing GPA’s plans to start a Savannah Harbor modification study.

“The shipping channel needs to be deepened and widened to better accommodate the largest ships currently serving Savannah, and to prepare for even larger, more efficient vessels expected to serve the U.S. East Coast,” said Georgia Ports President and CEO Griff Lynch. “Channel improvements are the next step in preparing Savannah for the future. Along with five new container berths on the way, the new Gainesville Inland Port, and multiple Georgia DOT projects, the pieces are all coming together in Savannah as the gateway of choice for the Southeast.”

GPA will work closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the study under the authority of Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act. The study will consider deepening the channel and adding passing lanes for two-way ship traffic. It was authorized under WRDA 2024, with initial funding of $500,000 awarded in Congress’ fiscal 2026 budget.

“By initiating this study, we are taking a proactive step to ensure the Port of Savannah remains a competitive asset,” said GPA Board Chairman Alec Poitevint. “We appreciate the leadership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, our federal delegation and state partners for their support. Together, we are positioning Georgia’s gateway to deliver greater efficiency, capacity and long-term economic value for our customers and the nation.”

The Corps of Engineers will provide technical assistance and will retain final review and approval authority, including oversight of environmental and economic analyses. The Corps’ feasibility study for the previous Savannah Harbor expansion found $7.70 in economic benefit to the nation for every dollar spent on construction.

A deeper harbor is needed to allow large ships to load more cargo and avoid tidal delays. Passing lanes will allow arriving and departing ships to transit the channel simultaneously, for faster vessel service. The Port of Savannah is now serving vessels capable of carrying 16,000+ twenty-foot equivalent container units – twice the size the channel is designed to accommodate.

The Savannah Harbor modifications feasibility study will assess market demands for the port and establish a class of vessel for the design of any proposed deepening. The process will include projecting which size ship will be most common in Savannah’s future, then designing harbor modifications to suit that vessel class. The study will then look at any impact modifications might have on the estuary, as well as potential economic benefits for the nation.

Growing to Meet Demand

The Savannah River shipping channel has been expanded three times for navigation purposes: in 1945, 1994 and 2022. The first expansion, in 1945, dredged the river to 38 feet. In 1994, the channel was deepened to 42 feet, and then in 2022, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) deepened the channel to 47 feet.

Federal impact studies and seven years of construction meant SHEP was completed more than 20 years after its original design, which anticipated 8,200-TEU vessels being the main workhorses on the U.S. East Coast. Once the study is finished, the Corps will recommend to Congress whether to expand the Savannah Harbor. The project would then require additional authorization from Congress, followed by federal and non-federal funding for construction.