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Georgia Ports Authority company history timeline

1945

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) was created in 1945 by the state during the economic boom of World War II. Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia’s deepwater ports, had a long history of global trade.

1957

1957 - The Legislature approves over $8 million for the state ports.

1958

1958 – Ocean Terminal is purchased from the Central of Georgia Railway.

1959

1959 - The state purchases Whitehall Plantation for port expansion.

1961

1961 - A $16 million expansion is revealed with Savannah getting the lion’s share of the money.

1962

A look at the Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal in 1962.

1964

1964 - Plans are made to build warehouses at the Garden City Terminal.

1966

1966 - A joint effort between the state and federal government to widen and deepen the Savannah channel is established.

1967

1967 - The port is ranked 10th in the nation for handling general cargo.

1969

1969 – Container Berth 1 construction begins at Garden City Terminal.

1970

1970 - Savannah is ranked 6th among United States ports; a new terminal opens.

1972

1972 – The first container terminal opens; container service with Japan begins; a second container terminal is planned.

1975

1975 - A master dispatch center at Garden City terminal opens.

1980

1980 - A 175-ton capacity crane opens.

1981

1981 - $6.5 million in damage is done when a GPA crane falls.

1982

1982 - Rumblings about the height of the Talmadge Bridge costing potential business begin.

1983

1983 - The Talmadge Bridge sustains damage when a ship rams it.

1985

1985 – The GPA purchases the 2,200 acre Drakie Plantation.

1991

March 1991 - A new, higher Talmadge Bridge opens.

1992

1992 – Harbor widened at Port of Savannah to 500 feet.

2000

January 2000 - Dollar Tree chooses Savannah as the new location of a new distribution and shipping center.

2001

2001 – The first year GPA moved more than 1 million TEUs.

2001 - Jasper County begins exploring the possibility of a port.

2003

June 2003 - The ports receive $2.5 million to upgrade security.

2003 – Savannah’s port is ranked the fourth busiest in the country.

2006

May 2006 - Savannah is poised to overtake Charleston to become the number 4 container port in the country.

2008

2008 – GPA adds first reefer racks as poultry and other refrigerated cargo increases.

2012

April 11, 2012 – After 15 years of study, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released the final documents for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP).

2014

June 30, 2014 – FY2014 was the first fiscal year in which the Port of Savannah handled more than 3 million TEUs.

2016

July 13, 2016 – The MOL Benefactor is the first vessel to call on Savannah through the new locks of the expanded Panama Canal.

2017

2017 – First 13,000 TEU vessel, COSCO Development, calls the Port of Savannah.

2018

August 2018 – Grand opening of the Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County.

September 2018 – First 14,000 TEU vessel, CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt, calls the Port of Savannah.

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Georgia Ports Authority may also be known as or be related to GEORGIA PORT AUTHORITY, Georgia Port Authority and Georgia Ports Authority.