Port of Savannah Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Port of Savannah

Location
Country	United States of America
Location	Georgia, U.S.A.
Coordinates	32°07′43″N 81°09′07″W / 32.128705°N 81.151907°W / 32.128705; -81.151907
Details
Opened	1744
Owned by	Georgia Ports Authority
Type of harbor	river natural
Draft depth	Depth 47 feet (14 m)
Air draft	185 feet, restricted by Talmadge Memorial Bridge
Statistics
Annual cargo tonnage	37.77 million (FY2020)
Website https://gaports.com/facilities/port-of-savannah/

The Port of Savannah is a very important seaport in the U.S.. It is located in Savannah, Georgia. Imagine a huge parking lot for giant ships! As of 2021, this port was the third busiest seaport in the entire United States.

The port's special docks for large ocean ships are found on both sides of the Savannah River. These docks are about 18 miles (29 km) away from the Atlantic Ocean. The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) manages the Port of Savannah. This port often competes with other big ports like the Port of Charleston in South Carolina and the Port of Jacksonville in Florida. The GPA also runs another port in Georgia called the Port of Brunswick.

In the 1950s, when trade was slowing down in the U.S., the Port of Savannah was one of the few places that actually saw more trade. This was thanks to leaders like engineer Dr. Blake Van Leer.

An aerial view of the busy Port of Savannah.

Another view of the Port of Savannah.

How the Port of Savannah Grew
Important Port Facilities
Global Shipping Connections
Images for kids
See also

How the Port of Savannah Grew

Between 2000 and 2005, the Port of Savannah was the fastest-growing seaport in the United States. It grew by 16.5 percent each year! On July 30, 2007, the GPA announced that the port had a record-breaking year. It became the fourth-busiest and fastest-growing place for container ships in the U.S.

By 2021, the port was the third busiest seaport in the country. In 2007, the GPA handled over 2.3 million containers. This was a big jump from 1.5 million containers in 2003. By 2014, the number of containers reached 3 million. In 2018, the port handled a record 4.35 million containers! This shows how much trade passes through Savannah.

Because of all this growth, a new, even bigger port called the Jasper Ocean Terminal is planned. It will be built further up the Savannah River.

Important Port Facilities

The Port of Savannah needed more space as it grew. So, it built other facilities nearby and further inland. These special areas help handle all the different types of goods.

Garden City Terminal

This is a huge area just for containers. It is the largest container terminal in North America run by a single company. It has long docks for ships and lots of covered storage space. There are also many giant cranes to move containers quickly.

Ocean Terminal

This terminal handles different kinds of cargo that aren't in containers. It specializes in things like wood products, steel, and large items that can be rolled on and off ships (called RoRo cargo). It also has deepwater docks and lots of storage.

Other Important Facilities

SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex: This is a large industrial area with its own private dock on the Savannah River.
Target Corporation Facility: Target Corporation built a massive warehouse here in 2007. It helps bring in goods for Target stores in the Southeast U.S.
IKEA Facility: IKEA also opened a large distribution center in 2007. It helps send IKEA products to stores.
Heineken USA Facility: This center, opened in 2008, helps distribute many popular drinks to several states.
Savannah Port Terminal Railroad: This railroad connects all the port's facilities to a larger railway system. This helps move goods quickly across the country.

Global Shipping Connections

Many big shipping companies use the Port of Savannah. For example, Maersk Line added Savannah to its routes in 2007. This helped increase trade between Savannah and places like India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Maersk Line even signed a long agreement to make Savannah one of its main ports in the South Atlantic.

Another company, APL, also added new shipping routes to Savannah in 2007. One route, called the Suez Express, brought goods from India and Southeast Asia through the Suez Canal. Another route, the East Coast Savannah Express, connected Savannah to China through the Panama Canal. These services made Savannah an even more important link in global trade.

Images for kids

A view of the port in the 1930s.
Workers at the port in the 1930s.
Ships docked at the port decades ago.
Cargo being moved at the port in the 1930s.
A busy scene at the Port of Savannah long ago.
Another historical image of the port.
The port in the 1930s, showing its early operations.
An intermodal terminal at the port, where goods switch between different types of transport.