Georgia Ports has launched a fast-track routing process for container vessels entering the Port of Savannah, aimed at improving Savannah River transit to Garden City Terminal.
Vessel schedules are a key performance metric for ocean carriers, with delays often caused by weather, congestion, and cargo handling. Any opportunity to save time is considered valuable.
The new process uses a lay berth at Ocean Terminal, allowing ships to dock temporarily before moving to an open berth at Garden City Terminal. This staging approach reduces idle time and speeds up discharge and loading operations.
The CCNI Arauco, part of the Maersk Gemini Service, is scheduled to begin operations at 1900 hrs on Thursday, 11 September 2025.
Without the lay berth, work would have started at 0700 hrs the following day.
Griff Lynch, President and CEO of Georgia Ports, said: “This lay berth, combined with our eight start times for ship labour, creates exciting new possibilities for ships to stay on schedule or make up time. We want to thank Maersk for their leadership as the first customer to use it. This is a gamechanger for GPA and our BCOs (beneficial cargo owners) who will benefit greatly with it.”
The lay berth option allows Georgia Ports to handle two additional vessels per week by reducing berth idle time from 12–15 hours to just three, increasing overall berth efficiency.
Last month, Georgia’s ports scaled operations and infrastructure, with Brunswick leading US RoRo volumes and Savannah expanding intermodal capacity to meet rising trade demand.