Port of Savannah sees peak season container boost

Port of Savannah sees peak season container boost    The port of Savannah saw double-digit growth in container tonnage and rail traffic through the first three months of its fiscal year.
   Results for the quarter ended Sept. 30, showed 3.04 million tons of container cargo were handled, up 10.7 percent from the year-earlier period, the Georgia Ports Authority said.
   Additionally, 44,339 Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation rail units moved through the port authority's terminals in the quarter, up 22.9 percent over the third quarter of 2003.
   Doug J. Marchand, executive director for the port authority, said recent improvements and expansions at container interchange gates, greater use of chassis pools and increased staffing and training helped to lower truck turn times by 20 percent.
   'In September 2003 multiple moves at our Garden City Terminal averaged 46 minutes,' Marchand said. 'As of September 2004, we reduced turn times by 10 minutes which has improved productivity and moved he cargo to final destinations more efficiently.'
   At the port authority's port of Brunswick, auto/machinery unit moves increased 18 percent in the quarter to 85,040 units.
   The port authority's board has approved $936,000 to finance a 7.5-acre expansion at Brunswick's Colonel's Island, which will add capacity of 13,680 auto units.
   The port of Brunswick is the fourth-largest auto port on the U.S. East Coast.