Savannah Standard

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has approved a $127 million investment for the Blue Ridge Connector, a project designed to link Gainesville, Georgia, to the Port of Savannah. This development is expected to streamline logistics for heavy equipment, food, and forest products by 2026. In addition, a $44.5 million allocation was sanctioned for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Garden City Terminal with the aim of enhancing operational efficiency and promoting the state's economic progress.

Governor Kemp responded to this development in a press release issued by the GPA. He stated: "Through improved connectivity, developments like the Blue Ridge Connector maximize the impact of Georgia’s extensive logistics network. Inland terminals have a proven track record of powering economic development for rural Georgians by extending port services to the doorstep of manufacturing and supply chain operations."

According to another press release by the GPA, funding for the Blue Ridge Connector combines GPA's capital with a Federal Maritime Administration grant amounting up to $46.8 million. This will connect it to GPA’s Mason Mega Rail terminal via Norfolk Southern Railroad. The GPA's rail investments exceed $374 million, including projects like the Mason Mega Rail Terminal and the Appalachian Regional Port which handle 18-20 percent of container cargo while majority is transported by truck. The board also approved an additional $44.5 million for constructing a 300,000 square-foot facility on Garden City Terminal equipped with offices and refrigeration facilities in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations.

Chairman Kent Fountain commented on this partnership in another press release from GPA: "Our long-term partnership with CBP is important to the safe and secure operational flow of cargo through our gateway container terminal. This investment represents the next level of making future supply chains run smoother in Savannah."

At the Port of Brunswick, according to yet another press release from GPA, there is an ongoing $262 million expansion initiative. The completed construction includes 350,000 square feet of near-dock warehousing to serve auto and machinery processing on the north side of Colonel’s Island Terminal. Concurrently, construction is underway for three additional buildings, totaling 290,000 square feet, and 122 acres of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo storage space on the south side of the island.

The GPA anticipates trade to reach approximately 430,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units in November, marking an 18.5 percent increase compared to the same month in 2019, according to a final press release from the authority.