Trade rebounds sharply at Georgia’s ports after tariff-related disruption
SAVANNAH ― The tariff drag on Georgia’s ports was fleeting.
Container traffic through the Port of Savannah returned at near-record volumes in August, topping 500,000 units for the fourth time in the last six months. August was the third-best month in the port’s history as trade bounced back from a “freight air pocket” tied to President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements earlier this year.
Those tariff threats led to a temporary period of canceled ship sailings from the Georgia Ports Authority’s biggest trade partner, China. Traffic slumped in June to its worst point in two years and was off marginally in July before the August surge.
Ship traffic remained strong in September, according to Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch, but is expected to level off for the final three months of the year as markets adjust to trade deals negotiated in July and August. Those included increased tariff rates on several of Georgia’s key partners, including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the UK, Japan and the European Union.
Ocean carriers have canceled sailings for the months ahead and lowered cargo projections.
“We are guardedly optimistic,” said Alec Poitevint, chairman of the ports authority’s board of directors. “We know that things are challenging and that there are things we don’t control. But we do control our ability to be an on-time performer, and there are moves we are making to keep us in a strong position that sends the right message to the customer.”
The Georgia Ports Authority’s comeback reflects a trend emerging since the Trump administration began imposing increased tariffs on trade partners: the bigger the port, the better the ship traffic. Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey and Savannah — the nation’s three busiest ports — are surging at the expense of smaller ports, according to freight index data from ITS Logistics, a supply chain and freight transportation specialist.
Efficiency is paramount, according to ITS Logistics’ Paul Brashier, and shippers are choosing to move goods through one high-performing port rather than multiple terminals. Savannah’s rebound is outpacing those of nearby competitors Jacksonville, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina.
Georgia Ports’ Lynch predicted earlier this year that Savannah and other big ports would fare well once the trade disruption ended.
“It’s about economies of scale,” Lynch said during an interview in July. “The cost of these ships per day are extensive. As they can reduce port calls, they can use the vessels more efficiently.”
Another pending advantage for bigger ports is a tariff on goods delivered via China-made ships and operated by Chinese crews. That tariff is scheduled to take effect Oct. 15, and carriers are responding by consolidating U.S.-bound goods onto non-Chinese ships that concentrate their itineraries on major ports.
While container trade is a bright spot for the ports authority, other business is sagging.
The trade war continues to put pressure on autos and other wheeled and tracked vehicles. Brunswick, the nation’s busiest auto terminal, saw business fall 14% year-over-year in August and is off 12% through the first two months of the fiscal year.
Break-bulk cargo business also slipped in Brunswick, down 20%. Exports of wood pellets and salt were down significantly year over year. Break-bulk cargo are goods too large to fit into shipping containers.
The Georgia Ports Authority released findings Tuesday from the latest economic impact study, conducted by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. Georgia’s ports are huge economic drivers. The Port of Savannah and other ports authority facilities support 651,000 jobs and contribute $174 billion in sales activity annually in the state, a 2025 study showed.
The ports’ business has nearly doubled over the last decade, and officials have announced $4.5 billion worth of expansions that will boost container capacity to 12.5 million units by 2035.
About the Author
Adam Van Brimmer is a journalist who covers politics and Coastal Georgia news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
