GPA to add capacity in Brunswick

The Port of Brunswick will soon add 50 more acres of paved vehicle storage at Colonel’s Island Terminal.

The Georgia Ports Authority Board approved the measures at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24. The infrastructure expansion will allow GPA to more efficiently accommodate increased trade crossing the docks at Colonel’s Island.

“The combination of space to grow, global and domestic reach, and quality of service make the Port of Brunswick the nation’s premier gateway for Ro/Ro trade,” said Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch. “With the significant infrastructure investments we’re making at the nation’s largest auto port, GPA is prepared to handle future growth from new and existing customers. This move comes in response to requests from auto manufacturers seeking to expand their cargo volumes through Georgia.”

Auto Storage

The Port of Brunswick is adding another 50 acres of paved storage at Colonel’s Island Terminal. The expanded auto processing capacity will go online in the summer of 2025, and comes after the recent addition of more than 120 acres.

“Capacity enhancements approved by the board today will complement the $262 million in auto storage and warehousing recently added at Colonel’s Island – as well as important federal projects planned for Brunswick Harbor,” said GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain. “With more than 200 additional acres for expansion, no other Roll-on/Roll-off port in the nation has the ability to scale up its operation like Brunswick.”

Colonel’s Island Terminal handled more than 870,000 units of Ro/Ro cargo in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended in June.

Harbor Improvements

The terminal improvements will be accompanied by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects to improve Brunswick Harbor.

The Port of Brunswick will receive nearly $38 million in federal funding for maintenance dredging and harbor improvements in legislation passed by Congress March 8, 2024. Of that total, $26.6 million will go to return the federal waterway to its full authorized depth. Dredging work in Brunswick is expected to start in late 2024.

Another $11.35 million in federal dollars and $6 million in state funds have been allocated the Corps’ Brunswick Harbor Improvements project, which will increase the safety and efficiency of vessel transit through the river channel. The harbor improvement plan includes an expanded area for vessels to pass each other, a bend widener and an expanded turning basin for ships docking at Colonel’s Island.

August Trade

In addition to the infrastructure improvements in Brunswick, Lynch reported on August cargo volumes. Georgia Ports handled 74,630 units of Ro/Ro cargo in August, an increase of 21.4 percent or 13,175 units compared to the same month a year ago.

In the container business, the Port of Savannah handled more than 490,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units, an increase of 18.6 percent of 76,750 TEUs. It was GPA’s second busiest August on record, after only 2022, when pandemic-related demand sent August volumes over 575,000 TEUs. Lynch said last month’s increase is influenced by customers front-loading cargo ahead of the holiday peak season.