Latest news with #GriffLynch
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Port of Brunswick to receive $35 million for operations, maintenance
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (WSAV) — The Port of Brunswick will receive $35 million in additional funding for operations and maintenance, officials said Thursday. The Brunswick Port was named the nation's top port for automobiles and heavy equipment, in early February this year. Officials announced during the State of the Port that the port handled more than two million tons of roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo. 'The Georgia Ports Authority is grateful that the Administration has prioritized the long-awaited funding necessary to properly maintain the Port of Brunswick,' President and CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority Griff Lynch said. 'We are further grateful for the extraordinary advocacy of Chairman Carter, Chairman Collins, and the entire Georgia Congressional delegation on behalf of this important gateway. As the largest and busiest port in the United States for handling automobiles and machinery, the maintenance of Brunswick's harbor is critical before vessel access to the port is limited.' Rep. Earl L. 'Buddy' Carter (R-GA) released a statement with the announcement and said that they have worked with the Corps to 'address unacceptable shortfalls in maintenance at the Port of Brunswick' on Thursday. Georgia's U.S. senators sought answers regarding the failure to dredge the port back in February. Dredging is essential to growth in the harbor, officials said. 'To date, the federal funding and procurement process has fallen short for both the annual maintenance dredging and the harbor modification project,' The Port's press release said.' It is imperative the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers identifies a workable solution for these projects of national significance.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Port of Brunswick sees busiest month due to customers front-loading inventory ahead of new tariffs
The Port of Brunswick, now the nation's busiest for vehicles and heavy equipment, has set an all-time record for units of roll-on/roll-off cargo in March. The port handled 91,360 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo in March, up 18% or 14,125 units compared to the same month last year. Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch said the higher volume was influenced by customers front-loading orders to avoid new tariffs. The port's terminal also served a record 65 vessel calls last month, up from 52 in March 2024, thanks in part to service from two new ocean carriers. To better handle growing trade, Phase I of a new railyard at the port will be completed in May 2025. The new railyard will double rail capacity from five to ten trains per week. That addition will increase the port's annual rail capacity from approximately 150,000 autos to more than 340,000. Phase II will bring the annual rail capacity to 590,000 units. Lynch said the additional capacity will allow for more inland routings for greater supply chain flexibility. More than 90% of vehicles moving by rail in Brunswick are U.S.-made exports. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: North Georgia school staff member fired after writing racial slur on the board Did you see the trail of lights in the sky? This is what they are… Georgia's university system is combining two schools [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Port of Savannah sets container, rail and truck moves in February
The Georgia Ports Authority said the Port of Savannah moved 479,850 twenty-foot equivalent units, the busiest February on record and a 6% increase from the same month a year ago. Authority President and Chief Executive Griff Lynch in a release credited the surge to the port's role as a gateway to the Southeast. Frontloading by importers ahead of planned U.S. tariffs also helped boost U.S. container volumes across major import hubs. On Feb. 28, the port achieved 2,246 rail lifts, a new record for a 24-hour period, at the Mason Mega Rail Terminal. The hub handles six trains daily or 42 per week, with dwell time of 19-24 hours. The Garden City Terminal set a new weekly record with 78,950 truck gate transactions in the last week of February. Despite high volumes, the container field remained fluid, with average transaction times of just 35 minutes for single container moves and 54 minutes for dual container moves. The efficiency of dual container moves, accounting for 85% of the port's container business in February, significantly contributed to overall operational momentum continued into March, with a single-day truck gate record of 16,430 transactions on March 11 at Garden City Terminal. To further enhance efficiency, Gateway Terminals and the International Longshoremen's Association union local have agreed to add three new start times for vessel operations: 6 a.m., 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. This expansion to eight total start times, coupled with 24-hour vessel service, is expected to significantly reduce vessel time at dock. The ILA and United States Maritime Alliance in February signed a new six-year master contract covering 24,000 workers at 14 Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast ports. Savannah is also implementing innovative solutions to increase vessel capacity. Starting in May, a new lay berth at Ocean Terminal will be utilized to stage vessels, dramatically reducing transition times between large ships. This strategy is projected to improve berth availability at Garden City Terminal by up to 75%, potentially allowing the port to handle two more ships per week, or an additional 100 vessels ahead, a second lay berth at Ocean Terminal is scheduled to come online in mid-2026, further expanding Savannah's vessel capacity. Port of Brunswick update The Port of Brunswick faced a slight decline in roll-on/roll-off trade. In February, Brunswick moved 61,667 units of autos and heavy equipment, representing a 10% decrease, or 6,882 units, y/y. The Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 42 vessel calls for the month, three fewer than in February 2024. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls tariff fears plague ocean container rates Trade groups, businesses speak to both sides of proposed US port feesPort Authority of New York and New Jersey signs 33-year lease with APM Terminals Report: Top-secret US plans to attack Houthis accidentally shared with journalist The post Port of Savannah sets container, rail and truck moves in February appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Ports Authority says Savannah had busiest February on record, adding 3 new start times
The Georgia Ports Authority announced Tuesday that the Port of Savannah had its busiest February, ever. According to officials, GPA moved nearly 480,000 20-foot containers, a 6% increase compared to February 2024. 'This strong performance is a testament to the trust our customers place in the Port of Savannah as their gateway to the U.S. Southeast,' GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said. 'I would also like to congratulate the International Longshoremen's Association and the US Maritime Alliance on signing a six-year contract in February, which will ensure labor stability and support the prosperity of our state and nation.' GPA said their intermodal team had also set a new record for rail moves in a 24-hour period, with 2,246 rail lifts on Feb. 28. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: DeKalb County commissioners to discuss adding 6 new animal kennels, extending contract with Lifeline Metro Atlanta nurse says she worked three 12-hour shifts before deadly crash Social Security retirement accounts are being sold online – What you need to know Additionally, the GPA said Garden City Terminal had set a new record for truck moves per week, with 78,950 transactions during the last week of February. 'We were able to accommodate the increased trade while maintaining excellent service for our motor carriers and customers,' GPA Chief Operating Officer Ed McCarthy said. 'Single container moves averaged only 35 minutes for truckers on terminal, while dual container moves averaged just 54 minutes.' As port usage continues to grow, Gateway Terminals and the International Longshoremen's Union will be working to add three new start times to work vessels to help address the load. The new times will be 6 a.m., 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Port of Savannah will also be increasing its vessel capacity beginning in May with the use of a new berth at the Ocean Terminal. Officials said this should drastically reduce transition times between large ships departing and arriving. 'This will make a big difference in turning ships around faster,' Lynch said. 'With a total of eight start times and our 24-hour vessel service, crane operators and crews from the ILA will start moving containers on and off ships more quickly, reducing vessel time at dock.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Georgia port tops US ro-ro gateways
The Port of Brunswick, Georgia, was the top U.S. port for vehicles in 2024. Brunswick achieved a record year, totaling 901,912 units of autos and heavy equipment, up 13.3% and 160% y/y, respectively. Georgia Ports President and Chief Executive Griff Lynch was quoted in a release as saying at the Brunswick State of the Port event that Colonel's Island Terminal has become the nation's busiest port for autos and heavy equipment, handling more than 2 million tons of roll-on/roll-off cargo in 2024. Brunswick also was the top port for ro-ro exports at 600,000 tons, the port said, citing USATradeonline authority completed $262 million worth of improvements at Brunswick in 2024, adding new warehousing and processing space, as well as 122 acres of ro-ro storage. Construction has started on a new rail yard on Colonel's Island, while a fourth berth for ro-ro vessels is in the engineering phase. Brunswick also benefited from thousands of vehicle shipments diverted from the Port of Baltimore after the Key Bridge disaster shut down ro-ro handling in April. Baltimore, until this year the leading ro-ro gateway, saw vehicle shipments decline by 11% in 2024. The Georgia port continues to scale up, and a new rail yard on the south side of Colonel's Island Terminal will increase the capacity to export vehicles arriving by rail. Improvements to the existing Myd Harris Yard will also bring rail switching onto the terminal.'Our growth comes as auto manufacturers seek to increase their business through Georgia,' Lynch said. 'This project will expand capacity, improve our ability to serve inland factories, and increase the safety of rail operations, both on- and off-terminal, and lessen our community impact with our port neighbors.' Lynch said the added capacity will extend Brunswick's service area, because moving cargo from farther-to-reach inland factories to the Georgia coast is more cost-effective by rail than truck. Phase 1 of the new rail yard will increase the port's annual rail capacity from approximately 150,000 autos to more than 340,000 by mid-2025. Phase 2 will boost capacity to 590,000 units, greater than three times the current capacity. More than 90% of vehicles moving through Brunswick by rail are U.S.-manufactured exports. Separately, construction on a fourth ro-ro berth is in the planning stages and expected to start in summer 2025. The new berth should be complete in 2027 and will more efficiently accommodate vessels carrying 10,800-plus car equivalent units (CEUs). A 20-year agreement signed with Oslo, Norway-based vehicle carrier Wallenius Wilhelmsen in April 2024 consolidates the company's Georgia logistics operations at the Port of Brunswick. 'At its expanded Brunswick facility, WW is not only handling ro-ro processing, but also order fulfillment for heavy equipment, configuring the machinery for the end user before delivery,' Lynch said. The authority's master plan calls for all ro-ro cargo to be located in Brunswick, and container trade in said market forces favor the continued expansion of Brunswick trade. Two major factors include the rise of manufacturing and a growing population in the U.S. Southeast. Auto exports grew by 9% in 2024, and imports at Colonel's Island were up by 20% y/y. Lynch said Brunswick anticipates handling larger vessels, carrying a greater number of autos and heavy equipment. The typical ro-ro ship today has a capacity of 4,000 to 8,000 CEUs. Carriers are expected to bring 10,800-CEU vessels to Brunswick in the next two to three years. 'Similar to the dynamic of growing container ships, these larger ro-ro vessels are expected to call on fewer ports and handle greater influxes of units during each visit,' he said. 'The 1,700-acre Colonel's Island Terminal is uniquely qualified to handle these larger transactions thanks to our scale of operations and efficiency.' At the same time, federal projects will also upgrade the shipping channel in Brunswick to handle larger vessels, and the state has allocated more than $6 million for special harbor improvements including a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan for a bend widener and expansion of the turning basin. An expanded vessel meeting area at St. Simons Sound will improve safety for two-way traffic. Congress has approved approximately $38 million for Brunswick, including the $11.35 million federal share of the harbor improvements project. An additional $26.6 million is designated for dredging the federal waterway to its full authorized depth of 36 feet in the inner harbor and 38 feet in the outer harbor. Lynch noted that to date, federal funding and procurement has fallen short for both the annual maintenance dredging and the harbor modification project. He called on the Corps to identify a workable solution for these projects. 'Federal agencies must keep pace with this global trend by performing timely dredging to maintain safe channels in a dependable, proactive manner.' Find more articles by Stuart Chirls Helicopter lifts crew to safety from grounded container ship Jaxport completes vehicle berth expansion UPDATE: Photo of damage to US aircraft carrier in Mediterranean collision Analyst: Shippers' tariff fears could keep trans-Pacific container rates up during February 'dip' The post Georgia port tops US ro-ro gateways appeared first on FreightWaves.
