The Georgia Ports Authority handled record Roll-on/Roll-off volumes in Fiscal Year 2023, at more than 723,500 units, an increase of 18 percent or nearly 109,000 units over the previous year.

“The Port of Brunswick achieved strong growth in the import and export of heavy machinery, while auto manufacturers’ improved microchip supply also meant an increase in vehicles,” said GPA President/CEO Griff Lynch. “I’d like to thank our customers for their continued confidence in Brunswick as a superior gateway to the U.S., and the auto processors for the world-class service they are providing.”

Ro/Ro imports were up by 99,000 units year-over-year, or 24 percent, while exports increased 11,500 units, or more than 7 percent. Besides expansion of existing business, GPA also added Nissan as a Brunswick customer in FY2023. Colonel’s Island Terminal now handles Nissan imports from Japan and Mexico.

According to the most recent PIERS data, the Port of Savannah achieved 11.2 percent market share in container trade among U.S. ports on the East, West and Gulf coasts through April, its highest ever.

“This continues a trend stemming from the U.S. Southeast’s fast-growing population, increased domestic production and a shift in overseas manufacturing toward India and Southeast Asia, favoring delivery via Savannah,” Lynch said. “I’d like to commend GPA employees, and our partners at Gateway Terminals and the International Longshoremen’s Association for their outstanding work during our second busiest year ever.”

A total of 5.4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units crossed GPA docks in FY2023, down 6.7 percent or 387,000 TEUs compared to FY2022, GPA’s all-time high. However, when compared to pre-pandemic volumes of 4.5 million TEUs in FY2019, GPA’s performance achieved an increase of 20 percent. Its compound annual growth rate since FY2019 is 4.7 percent per year.

“Georgia Ports’ steady long-term growth is thanks to outstanding customer service and superior global connections,” said GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain. “These are certainly contributing factors behind Area Development magazine ranking Georgia the top state for doing business since 2014.”

Record trade at the Appalachian Regional Port was another highlight in FY2023. The inland terminal handled its highest volumes ever, at 33,700 rail lifts, an increase of more than 18 percent or 5,200 containers.

To prepare for future demand, GPA is investing $1.9 billion in current infrastructure projects. Enhancements include renovations to Berth 1 at Garden City Terminal, increasing berth capacity there by 25 percent. An improved Berth 1 reopened to vessel service July 20, providing faster turn times for ocean carriers.

A new transload facility will deliver greater speed and flexibility for customers in cargo handling, while the Garden City West development adds 100 acres of long-term storage available at lower cost than in the regular container yard.

Upgrades now under construction at the Port of Brunswick include 640,000 square feet of new processing space across five new buildings, and 122 acres of additional auto storage. The new acreage will increase Ro/Ro capacity from 1.2 million to 1.4 million vehicles per year. Two near-dock warehouses and three buildings on the south side of Colonel’s Island start coming online in August. GPA has also won federal approval to construct a fourth Ro/Ro berth at Colonel’s Island. Currently in the engineering phase, Berth 4 will better accommodate carriers in the 7,000-vehicle class.

“New business and new capacity are establishing the Port of Brunswick as the nation’s premier auto port,” said Fountain. “Already the largest U.S. terminal in current acreage and room to grow, Colonel’s Island offers exporters a broad ocean carrier network, and provides importers easy access to the region’s dealerships.”

Also in Brunswick’s favor: It is well positioned for short-sea trade out of Mexico.

“As manufacturers continue to invest and ramp up production in that region, Colonel’s Island is in a strong position to capitalize on this trade lane,” said GPA Chief Commercial Officer Cliff Pyron. “We have already begun to see the benefits of Brunswick’s first port-of-call status from Mexico.”

At the HHLA TK Estonia terminal in the Port of Muuga, a new double ramp for RoRo traffic was put into operation. The ramp is used by Eckerö Line’s vessel MS Finbo Cargo, sailing daily between Muuga and Vuosaari in Finland. Thanks to this extension, more trade between Estonia and Finland can be routed through the port of Muuga.

Valdo Kalm, chairman of the board of the Port of Tallinn, was welcoming the new RoRo Highway: “The introduction of a two-level ramp at HHLA TK Estonia terminal will significantly speed up the process of loading and unloading vehicles and will allow removing even more cargo traffic from the city centre, which in turn will reduce the load on the transport infrastructure of the city of Tallinn.”

Riia Sillave, CEO of HHLA TK Estonia, was not only stressing the fact that the company will be able to speed up the work: “But in addition to improving the existing traffic flow, we also create an important potential for the future growth of trade in the north-south direction.”

HHLA TK Estonia operates a multipurpose terminal and logistics hub for the Baltic States in the Muuga Harbour. The port near the Estonian capital Tallinn is one of the deepest ports in the Baltic Sea region, ice-free on 365 days. The company, a 100% subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), is not only the market leader in container handling in Estonia. At seven quay walls, it also handles general cargo and bulk goods, especially grain, as well as Ro-Ro units.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a significant repeat order with a total value of more than EUR 20 million for comprehensive packages of RoRo equipment for a total of five Pure Car and Truck Carriers vessels. These vessels will be built at China Merchant Heavy Industries for Grimaldi Group. This deal will extend MacGregor’s supply of RoRo equipment from five to ten of Grimaldi’s new PCTC vessels.

The orders were booked into Cargotec’s 2023 first quarter orders received. The vessels are scheduled to be delivered to the shipowner between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2026.

MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, supply and installation support of RoRo and car deck equipment to all of the five ordered vessels. The equipment includes quarter stern ramps, internal ramps, covers and doors, both liftable and electrical hoisted car decks. MacGregor’s equipment is designed for multi purpose use with a high level of flexibility.

The vessels have a loading capacity of over 9,000 CEU and have been designed to transport Electric Vehicles. The vessels have received the Ammonia Ready class notation by Rina, which certifies that the ships have been designed and will be built to be later converted to use ammonia as marine fuel. The vessels will also be equipped with mega lithium batteries, solar panels and shore connection, which will allow them to achieve the Zero Emission in Port ®. Another main technical innovations are the air lubrication system, an innovative propulsion and optimized hull design, which aim to reduce the carbon footprint.

“With our recent orders for the construction of new PCTC vessels, our Group has reaffirmed its commitment to its customers, especially the world’s leading car manufacturers who continue to reward us with their trust. In this way, we will continue to live up to their high expectations and meet their evolving needs, with our offer of increasingly efficient and environmentally sustainable shipping solutions”, stated Emanuele Grimaldi, managing director of the Grimaldi Group.

“I’m proud to see shipowner’s and shipyard’s continued strong trust in the MacGregor brand and our long experience and great track-record with RoRo solutions. We very much value the solid relationship that we have with both China Merchant Heavy Industries and Grimaldi Group. MacGregor supported Grimaldi already in the planning stage by finding cost savings and giving technical guidance for optimised cargo flow. We are extremely committed to maintaining this trust in future,” says Magnus Sjöberg, Senior Vice President, Merchant Solutions, MacGregor.