Port Traffic Metrics: Georgia, Oakland

Georgia: Savannah Sustains Rise in Containerized Trade

Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) reports container throughput increased 8.1 percent this February at its Garden City Terminal in the Port of Savannah – to 307,035 TEUs from 284,307 TEUs in February 2015.

Cargo movements last month through GPA facilities statewide totaled 2.67 million tons ( 3.9 percent), with containerized cargo alone accounting for 2.18 million tons ( 8.7 percent).

"Our container volume growth continues to exceed our expectations in light of last year's unprecedented cargo diversions from the West Coast," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. "Efficient access to market, proximity to major Southeast populations and GPA's ability to quickly expand on-terminal container capacity are a few of the reasons for Savannah's continued success."

View detailed container traffic data through February 2016.

Oakland: Container Traffic Surge in February

The Port of Oakland experienced a dramatic upturn in February, with container volumes jumping up 54.2 percent to 188,139 TEUs, including increases from February 2015 of 89.7 percent for imports, 37 percent for exports, and 41.6 percent for empty containers. That brought year-to-date throughput to 379, 294 TEUs, up 45.9 percent from the January-February 2015 total of 260,000 TEUs, as the port continued its cargo recovery from the 2015 contract dispute.

The port ascribed the huge increase in container traffic in part to the strength of the U.S. dollar, which makes foreign-sourced products cheaper to American consumers. With the labor contract in place, the port expects a return of container volumes for imports and exports to pre-contract negotiation levels.

"It’s good to see that our cargo volume for both imports and exports has jumped up again," said John C. Driscoll, the port’s maritime director. "This is further evidence that we have regained the cargo that temporarily left our port a year ago."

View complete 2016 Port of Oakland container traffic statistics.