Georgia's seaports are reporting their second-busiest year despite a decline in the volume of retail goods moving across their docks. The Georgia Ports Authority said Tuesday that the Port of Savannah handled 5.4 million container units of imports and exports in the 2023 fiscal year that ended June 30. That's down 6.7% from a year ago, when the port scrambled to keep up with a surge in consumer demand following a pandemic-driven slowdown.
The state-operated ports in Savannah and Brunswick saw record-breaking volumes of automobiles and heavy machinery in the past year, driven by high demand for new cars. The ports handled more than 723,000 auto and machinery units, up 18% from fiscal 2022.