Savannah up 32.5pc in March to 227,860 TEU on China trade

THE Port of Savannah has announced a 32.5 per cent container traffic increase to 227,860 TEU in March, the "best on record since the crisis", said a port statement.

"After the worst recession in container shipping since 1956, the US port recovery is in full boom with Savannah leading the pack," said Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) executive director Curtis Foltz.

"Our growth in both imports and exports indicates that overall recovery is taking hold, and while rates won't be back to where they were, they are moving in the right direction," said Mr Foltz.

This growth is driven by China as GPA announced that the port's total TEU trade with China for 2009 was 730,961 TEU (loaded only), representing 20.8 per cent growth over the past five years, said a port statement.

The Port of Savannah's exports to China were up nearly 44 per cent over the past five years while imports from China grew 12 per cent over the same period. Savannah's exports to China grew nearly 15 per cent in 2009 alone as China's economy led recovery from the global recession, said the port statement.

The fastest growing export commodities from Savannah to China over the past five years were wood pulp (+137 per cent to 48,700 TEU), food (+118% to 34,123 TEU), and retail consumer goods (+257% to 10,489 TEU).

The fastest growing imports from China were footwear (+136% to 16,015 TEU), retail consumer goods (+13% to 77,947 TEU), and automotive parts (+86% to 17,847 TEU).

"Savannah is by far the largest portal for trade between China and all US mid-to-south Atlantic ports (Norfolk, Virginia to Miami, Florida). In calendar year 2009, Savannah held 46 per cent market share for the region's trade with China.

(Source: www.schednet.com)