BuilD For Speed
chains, enabling customers to restock inventory faster and reduce inventory carrying costs.” Expanded highways to and from the port ensure cargo reaches inland destinations without delay. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has opened the $126-million Brampton Road Connector, a new four-lane highway linking Garden City Terminal’s Gate 3 directly to the interstate system, removing at-grade rail crossings and truck traffic from local neighborhoods. The project gives truck drivers faster access to the Port of Savannah and a more streamlined route to inland markets. Clearly, community investment is a priority. Over the past 12 years, GDOT has invested nearly $600 million in roadway projects that also include: • Reconstructing the I-16/I-95 interchange and widening I-16, a $295-million project improving the safety and flow of commuters and cargo moving on and off each interstate. • Jimmy Deloach Parkway, a $129-million, limited-access truck route linking Garden City Terminal with Interstates 16 and 95. “Georgia Ports has maintained steady investment in capacity-building infrastructure to promote efficient cargo handling,” Fulford says. “Over the past decade, GPA has invested and completed $4.13 billion in infrastructure projects.” Future investment promises to keep that community-building record on track. CAPITALIZING ON ASSETS “A logistics-friendly location starts with flexibility, connectivity, and reliable execution,” says Port Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson. Port Tampa Bay’s strength lies in intentional diversification. The port handles a broad mix of cargo, including containerized freight, breakbulk and project cargo, bulk commodities, RoRo cargo, and energy products. “That diversity gives customers flexibility as markets and supply chains evolve, allowing the port to adapt to changing customer needs and shifting trade patterns,” Anderson says.
From the perspective of the Georgia Ports Authority, capacity and connectivity are major factors in the formula for the communities’ success. The gateway ports of Savannah and Brunswick form the two pillars of GPA’s dual port strategy, with Savannah specializing in containers and Brunswick specializing in roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo. Edward Fulford, the GPA’s manager of media relations, points out that truck turn times at the Port of Savannah average 43 minutes for dual, export-import transactions. Nearly 80% of Savannah’s container trade moves by truck. “GPA’s terminal efficiency means truckers can complete six to eight turns per day and still be home for dinner,” Fulford says. At Brunswick, Colonels Island Terminal is the nation’s leading hub for autos and heavy machinery. The port is served by every major RoRo ocean carrier calling the East Coast. The port has two on-terminal railyards, extending GPA’s reach to inland dealerships and manufacturing locations. SUPPORTING ROBUST GROWTH Savannah and Brunswick’s growth sets the pace for automotive logistics centers of excellence. Hyundai’s Metaplant has announced plans to increase annual production capacity at its Georgia plant from 500,000 units to 700,000-800,000 units by 2028. GPA anticipates container volumes to increase by 55% over the next 10 years and will invest $5 billion in infrastructure, adding five container berths (the most of any U.S. port) and a fourth RoRo berth. “The Port of Savannah provides customers more flexible supply chain options and greater resiliency through its 40 weekly vessel calls, 42 double- stack trains each week, and 15,000 truck transactions daily,” Fulford says. “Savannah delivers the industry’s best speed to rail, averaging just 20 hours between a container being discharged from a ship and departure by rail. Savannah’s fast truck turn times also translate into higher velocity supply
DEVELOPING A COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE Communities must ensure their local workforce keeps pace with the ever-increasing needs of the logistics field. Educational institutions and technical training programs must prepare people for the jobs the industry will need. Workforce planners can use Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections to track employment trends in transportation and logistics to help inform decisions about workforce training. Here are some key numbers at a glance: 1.6 million Average annual openings projected for transportation and material-moving occupations, 2025–35. 198,800 Jobs projected to be added in the transportation and warehousing sector, 2024–34. 10% Projected 2024–34 growth in freight transportation arrangement, the fastest- growing industry within transportation and warehousing. 18% Projected 2025–35 growth in employment of logisticians, compared with 3% for all occupations. 94.5% Share of transportation and material-moving workers whose jobs required on-the-job training in 2025. These statistics underscore the need to prepare workers for a changing industry. The BLS says increasing use of warehouse management systems, automated guided vehicles, robots, and artificial intelligence is expected to boost productivity while limiting employment growth in some occupations. At the same time, demand is growing for workers who can manage increasingly complex supply chains.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
38 Inbound Logistics • October 2026
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