The Port of Savannah moved 504,015 TEU in September, a monthly record and 3.7% above September 2025, the Georgia Ports Authority reported.

The September figure lifted the first quarter of GPA's fiscal year above 1.5 million TEU, a gain of 40,560 TEU, or 2.7% year on year. That quarter ranks second only to Q1 FY2023 in GPA's history. Appalachian Regional Port added 13% volume growth in the same quarter.

What pushed the peak?

GPA attributed the surge to consumer demand and a peak season displaced by typhoon-related congestion at Asian load ports. "Peak volumes were pushed into September because of typhoon-related delays at Asian ports. Ocean carriers took advantage of Savannah's fluid operations and proximity to major retail distribution centres in September. Import loads led Savannah's volume growth, increasing by 5.5% compared with September 2025," the authority said.

That reliance on trans-Pacific diversion has commercial consequences. Shippers that rerouted through Savannah in September picked up faster vessel turnaround and inland reach to Southeast distribution hubs, but they absorbed a longer Pacific leg when typhoon buffers compressed schedule reliability. Carriers, for their part, captured utilization gains on the East Coast without incurring congestion penalties.

How far along is the Ocean Terminal overhaul?

The US$1.6 billion Ocean Terminal conversion has passed 60% completion. When finished, the 200-acre facility will lift capacity from 200,000 TEU to 1.75 million TEU. Phases I and II have delivered 2,650 feet (807.7 m) of berth, enough for two large container ships working alongside.

GPA will continue handling smaller vessels at the terminal until mid-fall 2027, when the first container-yard phase wraps. The full yard is scheduled for end-2028. For forwarders and BCOs, that timeline points to added berth productivity in late 2027 and a step-change in gate throughput by 2029, assuming rail and truck access upgrades land on schedule.

Does the Panama Canal normalization change East Coast routing math?

The Panama Canal Authority is restoring Neopanamax capacity. From 15 October, the waterway returns to 10 Neopanamax transits per day, lifting total daily transits across all vessel sizes to 33. Maximum Neopanamax draft stood at 49 feet (14.93 m) on 28 September, recovering with the rainy season at Lake Gatun.

For Savannah, that restoration undercuts the East Coast advantage that Gulf and USEC ports gained during the 2023-24 drought-driven transit cuts. Carriers that added sailings to the US East Coast to avoid Canal queues now face a normalized all-water cost base from Asia to the US Gulf and beyond.

Why is Brunswick's Ro-Ro traffic falling?

The Port of Brunswick handled 43,415 Ro-Ro units in September, down 22% year on year. Heavy machinery bucked the slide, rising nearly 12% to 3,754 units from 3,359. GPA described global vehicle manufacturing conditions as "competitive," a label that papers over the auto tariff overhang and weak finished-vehicle demand that has trimmed OEM exports.

Vehicle carriers and OEMs serving Brunswick now weigh reduced sailings against longer-term contract terms, with a 22% monthly drop reshaping slot allocation at VW and Mercedes processing facilities.

What to watch next

With Ocean Terminal tracking for a mid-2027 berth handover and the Panama Canal back at full Neopanamax throughput, Savannah enters late 2026 with both the largest September in its books and the most consequential capacity buildout in its history.