The State Of Our Ports 2015
Yesterday over fifteen hundred people gathered in Savannah to hear last year's record and the future of one of our city's biggest revenue sources. Director of the GPA, Curtis Foltz, gave a presentation, broadcast on a live feed, detailing the status of the nations fastest growing port and explained that the 2014/2015 fiscal year was the busiest year on record. "To have growth in every sector of our business is a once in a lifetime year." said Foltz.
With an eight percent jump in the tonnage from last year, amounting to about 32 million tons, that's over 530,000 more cargo containers that the ships usually carry. In 2000 the GPA was not even in the top ten in port size and productivity and this year they are now the #4 port in the country and the fastest growing. "We are a gateway to the South East and becoming a big deal in the national scene." Said Foltz.
Foltz says there are many reasons for the record numbers. "Very efficient and modern ports, great road and rail connectivity, demographic strength of growth in the southeast, favorable business climate that the governor and our general assembly have promoted."
As for the future of the GPA? Foltz finally announced that the deepening of the Savannah Harbor is underway and spoke about the Panama Canal Expansion Project which is expected to finish next year. Throughout all of this though the theme of the presentation was to maintain sustainability and remain environmentally conscious throughout the GPA's expansion process, showing that commerce and nature can co-exist.
