The Industrial Company Delivering $410M Port Upgrade

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is spending $410 million to transform and upgrade the 200-acre Ocean Terminal in the Port of Savannah, a project that is being undertaken by The Industrial Company (TIC), which is responsible for the wharf/berth refurbishment element.

The new Ocean Terminal berths are being constructed in phases, with the first expected to open in 2025 and the second one year later. The entire project is expected to take five years to complete.

The current Ocean Terminal, a dedicated breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off facility, provides customers with more than 1.4 million sq. ft. of covered storage and has five berths with direct rail access. It handles the majority of the state’s breakbulk cargo, that includes steel, paper and lumber. These operations are currently being transferred to the Port of Brunswick, roughly 70 mi. south of the Port of Savannah. Savannah is the country’s fourth-busiest container port and is experiencing a $10 million upgrade to accommodate more cargo and provide more efficient services.

“The Authority is transitioning the 200-acre Ocean Terminal in Savannah,” said Edward Fulford, the GPA’s manager of media relations. “Having handled a mix of containers and breakbulk cargo for 40 years, Ocean Terminal will become an all-container facility. Demolition has begun to make way for berth improvements and container yard construction. Rebuilding the docks will provide 2,800 feet of berth space, capable of serving two big ships simultaneously.

see PORT page 6