Record Numbers of Automobiles Moved Through the Port of Brunswick in Georgia
In the 2024 fiscal year, the Port of Brunswick in Georgia saw a significant increase in automobile traffic, with a record-breaking 830,000 cars passing through its facilities. This puts Brunswick in direct competition with the top U.S. auto port, the Port of Baltimore. When combined with heavy machinery units, the total number of vehicles handled by Brunswick and the Port of Savannah reached over 876,000, marking a 21% increase compared to the previous year.
The surge in car shipments through the Port of Brunswick can be attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As U.S. auto sales experienced their largest increase in a decade in 2023, Georgia simultaneously invested $262 million in upgrades and expansions in Brunswick to accommodate this growth. These projects are expected to be completed by the fall.
Georgia Ports Authority CEO, Griff Lynch, expressed his satisfaction with the impressive results, labeling it “a great year for us.” He also anticipated that by 2026, the volume of automobiles passing through Brunswick would surpass that of the Port of Baltimore, which has been the leading U.S. seaport for autos for over ten years.
The latest cargo figures indicate that Brunswick is already closing the gap on Baltimore. In the 2023 calendar year, Baltimore reported handling 847,000 auto imports and exports. However, the shutdown of Baltimore’s shipping channel following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024 created an opportunity for Brunswick. The diverted shipments resulted in approximately 14,000 cars and trucks being brought into Brunswick in April and May.
While Lynch acknowledged that Baltimore is likely still in the top spot, he emphasized Brunswick’s progress, stating, “We don’t want to be No. 1 because Baltimore had a bridge collapse.” He also highlighted that Georgia’s strong performance over the past year was not solely due to the bridge incident but resulted from automakers shifting their operations to Brunswick from neighboring ports like Charleston, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida.
Additionally, Georgia’s ambitions to become a hub for electric vehicle (EV) production could further increase the volume of automobiles passing through Brunswick. However, Lynch noted that in the initial years, the focus of Hyundai’s new EV plant near Savannah would primarily be on supplying the U.S. market rather than exporting a significant number of cars.
In addition to the remarkable performance of the Port of Brunswick, the Georgia Ports Authority also reported that the Port of Savannah handled 5.25 million container units in the latest fiscal year. Although this was a 2.3% decrease compared to the previous year, Savannah remains the fourth-busiest U.S. port for containerized cargo. The decline in container volumes can be attributed to retailers reducing new orders as they scaled back their inventories in the last six months of 2023. However, in recent months, container volumes have begun to rebound.
Overall, the impressive growth of automobile shipments through the Port of Brunswick indicates Georgia’s rising stature in the automotive industry. With continued investments and expansions in infrastructure, as well as the potential for increased EV production, Brunswick is poised to become a leading auto port in the coming years, potentially surpassing the Port of Baltimore.
