New fiscal year starts with 13% growth for GPA

With nearly 13% growth in container traffic over the first two months of the fiscal year, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has made a strong start to the 2015 business year.

For July and August, the GPA moved 595,711 teu, up 12.9% or 68,246 teu compared to the same period last year. Both months set consecutive throughput records, with 293,889 teu crossing GPA docks in July and 301,822 teu in August. The August number grew by 21,009 teu, or 7.5%, compared to the same month a year ago. Containers moved by rail also reached record levels in August, at 52,711 teu.

“To accommodate growth at these levels, we are taking the necessary steps to expand capacity now,” said authority executive director Curtis Foltz. “Infrastructure improvements, which include additional cranes, operational improvements and container storage consolidation, will increase annual throughput capacity from 4.5m to 6.5m teu.”