Georgia Ports' economic impact grew 4% last year, study says

Georgia Ports generated $181 billion in total economic impact in fiscal-year 2025, up 4% or $7 billion from the prior fiscal year, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business.

Further, the ports support 605,616 full-time and part-time jobs at Georgia businesses, yielding $44 million in annual income. Between FY2021 and FY2025, employment supported by port activity has increased by more than 44,500 jobs, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) officials said in a press release.

"Every shipment through Savannah and Brunswick fuels Georgia's economy, supporting businesses, families and communities," said Griff Lynch, Georgia Ports CEO.

Port customers, their suppliers and the businesses supported by port-user payrolls now account for 12% of Georgia's total output, up 1% from FY20204. Business conducted through the ports also results in $10 billion in federal taxes, $3 billion in state taxes and $3 billion in local taxes, GPA officials said.

The Port of Savannah is the busiest gateway for containerized trade on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, they added. The port handled 5.67 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo in FY2026.

Georgia Ports is currently undertaking a $5 billion port and inland infrastructure plan that will add five container berths to Savannah and one roll-on/roll-off cargo berth at Brunswick. The 10-year plan anticipates 55% growth in cargo during this period, GPA officials said.

The Port of Savannah and Port of Brunswick are served by Genesee & Wyoming’s Savannah Port Terminal Railroad and Golden Isles Terminal Railroad, respectively, which interchange with CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway.