Record rail traffic at port speaks volumes

[NS Newsfeed]

June was the busiest month on record for containers moved by rail at the Port of Savannah, according to numbers released Wednesday by the Georgia Ports Authority.



The volume — 34,712 containers — topped the previous record of 33,919 set in January.



The Georgia Ports Authority achieved five of the top 10 months ever for intermodal rail in 2015.



"Because the authority — along with Class I rail providers Norfolk Southern and CSX — have been making steady infrastructure investments — we have the capacity to handle today's higher container volumes," said Curtis Foltz, GPA executive director.



Since opening its first rail yard in 2001, Georgia Ports has invested $91.3 million in rail infrastructure, he said.



More recently, CSX has completed a track upgrade, speeding container moves on and off terminal, while GPA's Mason rail yard expansion — in conjunction with a Highway 307 overpass and a new turning site on Norfolk Southern's line — has cut round-trip train moves to Atlanta by six hours.



Both CSX and Norfolk Southern provide on-terminal service at the Port of Savannah, which speeds the transition from rail to ship.



Heavy state exports, such as kaolin clay and forest products, also benefit from the on-terminal service, as rail cars can handle heavier loads and aren't subject to highway weight restrictions.



John Trent, GPA's senior director of strategic operations and safety, said the port has also improved the way it handles containers discharged from ships and bound for rail cars.



"Rail import containers now go into separate stacks, so that they can be moved more efficiently to the rail yard," he said, adding that more improvements are currently under way.



A new storage yard and gate complex currently under construction adjacent to the Mason rail yard at Garden City Terminal will streamline empty container handling.



"Moving the empty stacks closer to the intermodal rail yard will speed their movement off trains and open up rail capacity more quickly," Trent said. "Placing the stacks just inside the new gate will also make pickup more efficient for trucks."



Savannah already features the fastest westward rail transit times in the South Atlantic region, with overnight service to Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.



"Currently, about 20 percent of our container volume moves by rail," Foltz said. "We are taking steps to improve the efficiency and reach of our rail network, both in Garden City and around the state.



"Providing more and better access to rail solutions will lower the bottom line of doing business in the regions we serve, reduce pressure on our roadways, and lower emissions related to the transit of goods."



National logistics firm opens operation here

Port Logistics Group, one of the nation's leading providers of gateway logistics services, announced this week that it has begun operations in Savannah with two new distribution customers.



The new operation is 6 miles from the port of Savannah in a 685,000-square-foot facility. PLG will perform detailed pick/pack and value-added services for its new customers, including kitting, price ticketing and labeling for a high-end retail bedding and home goods customer, and light manufacturing and kitting for a furniture company serving mass market retailers across the United States.



With the addition of Savannah, PLG now offers complete logistics solutions with more than 5.5 million square feet of warehouse space at the four major U.S. import gateways, including the ports of New York/New Jersey, LA/Long Beach and Seattle/Tacoma.



"This expansion completes one of our key strategic goals - creating a national logistics provider that can serve customers in any of the major North American import gateways," said Greg Morello, chief marketing and strategy officer for Port Logistics Group.



"Our customers can now quickly adjust their supply chains to reduce costs and increase speed to market, and be confident that they'll receive consistent service, regardless of the port of entry."



PLG brings significant retail, apparel, and general merchandise expertise to a gateway location that has taken on increased prominence for retailers as market factors, such as congestion in other major ports and the widening of the Panama Canal, make Savannah an increasingly important part of a balanced import strategy, the company said in a statement.



"We are very pleased to be able to offer our clients the flexibility of working with a trusted partner in multiple port locations," said company CEO Bob Stull.