Port Savannah Achieves Second Best Year for Container Volume Growth

• Port Savannah handled 5.7 million containers in 2025.
• The increase in container volume was driven by anticipated tariffs on imports.
• Forecasts indicate a possible decrease in container volumes in the upcoming month.

SAVANNAH, Georgia — Retailers are scrambling to stock up on goods ahead of anticipated tariff increases on imports, contributing to the increased container volumes at the Port of Savannah, which is one of the busiest container ports in the U.S. According to Georgia state data, the port handled 5.7 million container units of imports and exports in the fiscal year 2025, which ends June 30. This is 8.6% higher than the previous year, and only a few units less than the record 5.76 million containers processed in 2022.

The increase in volumes is partly attributed to the surge in containerized cargo since President Donald Trump's return to power in January, when he promised to impose high tariffs on China and other trading partners of the U.S. However, following a significant increase in volumes in the spring month, there was a substantial drop in container volumes in June due to unpredictability, attributed to Trump's policies.

Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch noted that "this will be quite an unstable period, as long as the situation does not stabilize." He also assessed the trade agreement Trump made with the European Union as a step toward restoring stability.

Port Savannah ranks fourth in the U.S. for container volumes, which are handled in containers. Unpredictability regarding Trump's tariffs has led to an increase in volumes at other major U.S. ports. For example, the Port of Los Angeles reported the highest container volumes in June, while the ports of New York and New Jersey also recorded an increase in volumes by 6.5% from January to June this year.

However, forecasts from the National Retail Federation indicate that container volumes at American ports could decrease in double-digit percentages from September to November.

At the Port of Savannah, container volumes increased by 22.5% in March, reaching 533,995 units, and remained above 500,000 units through May. However, in June, volumes fell by 9.6% compared to the previous year. The Port of Brunswick, located nearby, also recorded a decline in volumes of imported automobiles by 2.2% due to tariffs on automobile imports.

Lynch noted that container volumes in July remained stable, but he anticipates a decrease in September. However, he expressed optimism regarding the swift restoration of normal trade, as tariffs will be agreed upon.

Tags: USA/Economy