The Georgia Ports Authority has received federal approval for a new container terminal worth $2.3 billion in Savannah. This marks a significant step forward in plans to increase the port's capacity to handle 12 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) each year.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted the Savannah Container Terminal permit after a three-year review. This announcement was made on Wednesday by Georgia Ports President Kevin Price during the organization’s annual State of the Port of Savannah event.
The new 350-acre facility on Hutchinson Island will add 3.5 million TEUs to the port's annual capacity and will be equipped to accommodate the largest container ships. Construction is set to start in January 2028, with completion expected around the mid-2030s.
“We’re excited about the future of the Savannah Container Terminal as part of our growth and investment plans to become a 12 million TEU gateway port, providing top infrastructure for customers in Georgia and across the nation in this growing region,” Price stated.
Currently, Savannah has the capacity to handle 7.75 million TEUs each year.
This project is a key element of Georgia Ports’ nearly $5 billion infrastructure investment plan over the next ten years, which also includes five more large container ship berths in Savannah and enhanced roll-on/roll-off facilities at the Port of Brunswick.
Another significant part of the expansion is already in progress at Savannah’s Ocean Terminal. A $1.6 billion redevelopment project is underway to increase annual container capacity from 200,000 TEUs to 1.75 million TEUs. This project was over 60% complete by the end of September and is expected to be finished by the end of 2028.
Additional improvements planned include upgrades to the Talmadge Bridge, widening and deepening Savannah Harbor, and expanding inland freight connections.
“Our $5 billion investment in future port infrastructure is the largest in the nation. It provides a clear roadmap for our customers, following our previous $4.13 billion investment over the last decade in port and inland infrastructure,” said Georgia Ports Authority Chairman Alec Poitevint. “We are committed to long-term growth here.”
This announcement comes as Savannah continues to experience strong container volumes. The port recorded a record 504,015 TEUs in September, a 3.7% increase from the previous year, bringing the container traffic for the first quarter of its fiscal year above 1.5 million TEUs.
The expansion plans are being announced just before a leadership change at Georgia Ports. CEO Griff Lynch, who has been with the authority since 2011, is set to retire on August 1, 2027, with Price expected to take over.
Under Lynch’s leadership, Georgia Ports has seen container volumes rise by 90%, roll-on/roll-off volumes increase by 60%, and revenues jump by 213%, as stated by the authority.
“I’m proud of our team, grateful to our customers, and confident in the port and inland infrastructure we’ve developed,” Lynch said. “We’re always looking to grow.”
With this new permit in hand, Georgia Ports can move forward with the development of the Hutchinson Island terminal, one of the largest projects aimed at expanding Savannah’s capacity and meeting future container trade demands.