The Authority directly employs over 1,475 trained logistics professionals. The Authority, however, is responsible for generating far more employment throughout the state. In a study performed by The Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, Authority operations, together with the private sector port-related operations, directly and indirectly impact more than 496,000 jobs statewide, $122 billion of dollars in Georgia’s total sales, and $29 billion in income annually. For additional information, please see the Demographic and Economic Information in the Statistical Section of this ACFR. Business of the Authority The Port of Savannah is comprised of two modern, deep-water terminals: Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal. Together, these facilities exemplify the Authority’s exacting standards of efficiency and productivity. Garden City Terminal is the largest single container-handling facility in North America, encompassing approximately 1,350 acres and currently moves over 36 million tons of containerized cargo annually. For the first time in its history, the Port of Savannah moved 5.3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, growing cargo volumes by 20 percent in FY2021, or nearly 900,000 additional TEUs compared to FY2020. Ocean Terminal is Savannah’s multi-faceted terminal that supports container, breakbulk and roll-on / roll-off operations. The terminal covers 208 acres and provides customers with more than 1.3 million square feet of covered, versatile storage. The Port of Brunswick is comprised of three Authority-owned deep-water terminals, two of which are operated by the Authority. The port’s well-earned reputation for productivity and efficiency is heightened by its position as one of the fastest growing auto and heavy machinery ports in North America. During FY2021, over twenty-six auto manufacturers, supported by four auto processors, and over eighteen machinery manufacturers utilized the Colonel’s Island Terminal. Brunswick’s Mayor’s Point Terminal facilitates the import and export of valuable forest products, while Marine Port Terminals, operated by Logistec U.S.A., specialize in the handling of bulk and breakbulk commodities at the Lanier Docks and East River Terminals. Georgia’s inland terminal operation, the Appalachian Regional Port near Chatsworth, Georgia, provides an efficient and cost-effective connection for cargo moving by rail to and from North Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and the Port of Savannah. In addition, Port Bainbridge provides a strategic advantage for bulk commodities moving to and from the Southeastern United States. For additional information, please see the Table of Physical Characteristics of the Port Facilities of the Authority in the Statistical Section of this ACFR. LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING Over the last fifteen years the Authority’s container volume has grown at a faster rate than any other major port in the country. At the Garden City Terminal, the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) has grown from 2.04 million in FY2006 to 5.33 million in FY2021, an increase of over 161%. The Authority’s long-term growth forecast projects container volume to increase over 106% from FY2021 to FY2030. To prepare for this growth, the Authority has developed strategic plans to build out Savannah’s annual operating capacity to 11.0 million TEUs through improvements at Garden City Terminal and the completion of several phases of the new Savannah Container Terminal. These improvements will allow the Authority to continue to be the southeast United States’ gateway container terminal and serve the largest container vessels calling on the east coast. In 2008, the Authority entered into an “Intergovernmental Agreement for Development of an Ocean Terminal on the Savannah River within the State of South Carolina” with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA). Under the Agreement, the Authority purchased approximately 1,500 acres of land for the planned Jasper Ocean Terminal (JOT) jointly with the SCPA. In 2015, the Authority and the SCPA determined that going forward the development of JOT should be pursued as a joint venture between the Authority and the SPCA. The JOT will provide capacity to meet the region’s long-term forecasted demand. ii
