The Port of Brunswick’s Colonel’s Island Terminal saw more than 650,000 automobiles and heavy machines pass through its docks in 2022, contributing to a record year for the Georgia Ports Authority, according to GPA.
The roll-on, roll-off terminal — the second busiest in the nation — saw 651,101 units during the calendar year, which accounted for 97 percent of all cargo coming into Georgia that can roll onto or off of a ship.
Along the way in 2022, Hyundai delivered its 2 millionth automobile shipped to Colonel’s Island.
The Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal moved the other 19,630 units.
The total of 671,731 was a .4% increase over 2021, GPA said.
Total tonnage crossing all Georgia Ports Authority docks in 2022 reached a new record of 42.4 million tons, a 2% increase, or nearly 760,000 tons over 2021.
“It was a challenging year, but collaborative effort across Georgia’s supply chain ensured cargo movement remained fluid,” said state ports authority executive director Griff Lynch.
In addition to the rolling cargo, Mayor’s Point Terminal in Brunswick contributed to a 16% increase authority-wide in breakbulk cargo that reached nearly 3.3 million tons in 2022.
The breakbulk numbers locally are set to increase. The authority plans to shift breakbulk cargo carried by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean to Colonel’s Island.
Construction is underway at the terminal on 350,000 square feet of near-dock warehousing that will serve auto processing, a 200,000 square foot fumigation warehouse and a 150,000 square-foot first-point-of-rest warehouse for high and heavy material.
Automobile storage is also expanding at Colonel’s Island where three additional buildings and 85 acres of storage space is under construction on the south side of the island. The additions will increase the terminal’s roll-on, roll-off capacity to 1.41 million vehicles per year, up from 1.225 million.
The GPA expects the pavement and buildings to be completed this year, according to its website.
The authority also received federal approval to add a fourth berth at Colonel’s island to accommodate the larger, 7,000-plus-unit vehicle carriers that are becoming the standard at U.S. ports.
“We’re excited about the possibilities ahead, with major infrastructure projects delivering greater capacity and efficiency for our customers,” said Joel Wooten, ports authority board chairman.
Also on tap for the Port of Brunswick is $1.5 million approved earlier this month by Congress that will go toward modifying and upgrading the federal navigation channel entering the harbor.
