Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Baltimore port closure helped Georgia set import record

Port of Brunswick saw volumes jump 26% in May while bridge repairs continued.

brunswick Three-ships-at-CI-scaled.jpg

As disaster recovery crews continued their work to clear the wreckage of the collapsed bridge that shuttered the Port of Baltimore after it was struck by an errant containership, diverted cargo flows helped drive a huge jump in volume at a nearby port in Georgia.

Gerogia’s Port of Brunswick handled an all-time record of 86,577 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo in May, an increase of more than 18,000 units or 26% compared to the same month last year, the port said today.


The M/V Dali cargo ship finally left Baltimore on Monday after being pinned for three months underneath tons of destroyed infrastructure that had fallen when the ship lost power on March 26 and swept out a key support pillar, destroying several spans of the Francis Scott Key bridge.

In the meantime, maritime carriers had swiftly adjusted their routes and diverted imports and exports to nearby sites. At the time of the crash, Baltimore had just finished handling a record 1.1 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers in 2023, helping it rank first among the nation’s ports for volumes of autos and light trucks, roll on/roll off heavy farm and construction machinery, imported sugar, and imported gypsum.

The latest numbers show that that flood of business went to nearby sites. Counting ships, the auto port at Colonel’s Island Terminal handled 57 vessels in May, an increase of 12 vessels compared to the same month last year. And GPA estimates that roughly half of the machinery increase and approximately 15% of the auto increase in May was related to the Baltimore bridge collapse. (Brunswick saw a larger impact on machinery, because most units were exports that had to be sent to GPA well before Baltimore’s Ro/Ro channel reopened in mid-May.)

For its entire fiscal year to date, the inflated May performance brings Georgia Ports volumes to 796,000 units of autos and high/heavy machinery (between July 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024), up 20% compared to FYTD 2023.

Port leaders also said the site was well prepared for the surge. “Brunswick’s proximity to domestic manufacturers and to vibrant sales markets make it a critical partner for the auto industry in driving new business,” Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch said in a release. “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 Latest

More Stories

person using AI at a laptop

Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Report: SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Report: SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Businesses are cautiously optimistic as peak holiday shipping season draws near, with many anticipating year-over-year sales increases as they continue to battle challenging supply chain conditions.

That’s according to the DHL 2024 Peak Season Shipping Survey, released today by express shipping service provider DHL Express U.S. The company surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gauge their holiday business outlook compared to last year and found that a mix of optimism and “strategic caution” prevail ahead of this year’s peak.

Keep ReadingShow less
retail store tech AI zebra

Retailers plan tech investments to stop theft and loss

Eight in 10 retail associates are concerned about the lack of technology deployed to spot safety threats or criminal activity on the job, according to a report from Zebra Technologies Corp.

That challenge is one of the reasons that fewer shoppers overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences lately, Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Zebra said in its “17th Annual Global Shopper Study.”th Annual Global Shopper Study.” While 85% of shoppers last year were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences, only 81% in 2024 are satisfied with the in-store experience and just 79% with online shopping.

Keep ReadingShow less
warehouse automation systems

Cimcorp's new CEO sees growth in grocery and tire segments

Logistics automation systems integrator Cimcorp today named company insider Veli-Matti Hakala as its new CEO, saying he will cultivate growth in both the company and its clientele, specifically in the grocery retail and tire plant logistics sectors.

An eight-year veteran of the Georgia company, Hakala will begin his new role on January 1, when the current CEO, Tero Peltomäki, will retire after a long and noteworthy career, continuing as a member of the board of directors, Cimcorp said.

Keep ReadingShow less

Securing the last mile

Although many shoppers will return to physical stores this holiday season, online shopping remains a driving force behind peak-season shipping challenges, especially when it comes to the last mile. Consumers still want fast, free shipping if they can get it—without any delays or disruptions to their holiday deliveries.

One disruptor that gets a lot of headlines this time of year is package theft—committed by so-called “porch pirates.” These are thieves who snatch parcels from front stairs, side porches, and driveways in neighborhoods across the country. The problem adds up to billions of dollars in stolen merchandise each year—not to mention headaches for shippers, parcel delivery companies, and, of course, consumers.

Keep ReadingShow less