Savannah boxes up 4.5pc in March, but ro-ro breaks record with 36pc hike

THE Port of Savannah container volume increased 4.5 per cent in March to 238,030 TEU against the 227,860 TEU lifted in March 2010, reported the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), with quarterly volumes rising 12.6 per cent year on year.


But the star of the GPA show in March was the ro-ro Port of Brunswick's whose volumes soared 36 per cent year on year, posting its best month ever for automobiles and machinery, handling 42,740 units. Fiscal year to date, GPA ro-ro posted a 51.7 per cent increase. The GPA's financial year ends June 30.


"We attribute the Port of Brunswick's volume gains to a number of factors including economic recovery, a renewed consumer market for automobiles and the expanded vehicle processing centre facilities," said GPA executive director Curtis Foltz.


Growing automobile volume reflects market share gains by the primary brands the GPA handles, specifically Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Kia and Volkswagen, noted Newark's Journal of Commerce.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)