Business

Port of Brunswick sets record for Roll-on/Roll-off cargo

By Dave Williams
Stevedores drive John Deere tractors onto a cargo ship in the port of Brunswick, Ga., on April 10, 2024. Brunswick is one of the eastern ports absorbing cargo that, for now, cannot be handled in Baltimore in the wake of the Key Bridge collapse. A top authority there acknowledges it cannot handle all of the autos that typically move through Baltimore. (Dustin Miller/The New York Times)
Stevedores drive John Deere tractors onto a cargo ship in the port of Brunswick, Ga., on April 10, 2024. Brunswick is one of the eastern ports absorbing cargo that, for now, cannot be handled in Baltimore in the wake of the Key Bridge collapse. A top authority there acknowledges it cannot handle all of the autos that typically move through Baltimore. (Dustin Miller/The New York Times) Dustin Miller NYT

The Port of Brunswick handled an all-time high of 86,577 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo last month, a 26% increase over May of last year, the Georgia Ports Authority announced this week.

About half of the machinery increase and approximately 15% of the increase in autos were related to the bridge collapse in Baltimore, which shut down that port for 11 weeks. But other factors were involved as well.

“Brunswick’s proximity to domestic manufacturers and to vibrant sales markets make it a critical partner for the auto industry in driving new business,” said Griff Lynch, the ports authority’s president and CEO.

“The recent addition of 120 acres of processing space, along with hundreds more acres available for development, make Colonel’s Island Terminal uniquely able to expand along with the needs of car manufacturers.”

The auto port at Colonel’s Island handled 57 vessels last month, an increase of 12% compared to May of last year.

The strong numbers in May brought Georgia Ports volumes for the first 11 months of the current fiscal year to 796,000 units of autos and heavy machinery, up 20% compared to the same period in fiscal 2023.

“Our increasing Ro/Ro volumes are a testament to the outstanding work of our auto port partners and the reliable service customers have come to expect at Brunswick,” said Kent Fountain, the authority’s board chairman.

Overall, Brunswick imported 54,550 autos in May and exported just over 23,000.

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