WASHINGTON: Georgia Ports Authority’s annual State of the Brunswick Port luncheon last week came close to being eclipsed by Hurricane Matthew, but GPA executive director Griff Lynch and luncheon sponsors, the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce, managed to pack the Atlantic Ballroom at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Wednesday, just hours before evacuation notices went up.
For those who stuck it out, the news was good, as Lynch announced a 100-acre expansion of the Colonel’s Island auto terminal and welcomed Logistec’s announcement of the completion of 221,000 square feet of wood pellet storage at GPA’s East River Terminal.
“The additional 100 acres will allow GPA to grow along with our existing customers, and to attract additional carmakers to what is already the nation’s second busiest auto port,” Lynch told the crowd of Brunswick-area business and maritime people. “This new roll-on/roll-off capacity is part of an initiative to service a growing market, while staying 20 percent ahead of our current demand.”
Twenty of the 100 acres are already paved and in use by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, while International Auto Processing has leased another 49 acres it will occupy by May 2017. Just last month, the GPA Board of Directors approved the development of a separate 30-acre parcel, which should come online in January. “The Port of Brunswick already supports 9,000 jobs in Glynn and its five surrounding counties,” said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. “Our efforts to accommodate the demands of auto manufacturers serving the Southeastern U.S. economy will create jobs and business opportunities within this region.”
At the luncheon, Lynch detailed the long-term plan for the south side of Colonel’s Island’s south side, a plan that will eventually add 540 acres in GPA-owned land to the auto processing operation. Another 140 southside acres owned by Mercedes and International Auto Processing brings Brunswick’s total vehicle space to 1,039 acres. “No other autoport in the nation even approaches that capacity,” Lynch said. Also at the State of the Port, Lynch announced that Logistec, an international terminal operating company, has just opened two new warehouses totaling 221,675 square feet for wood pellet storage along the Brunswick River.
“These modern buildings are a part of Logistec’s commitment to upgrade and expand its dry bulk facilities in Brunswick,” he said. “The terminal is ideally suited to biomass cargo handling,” said Madeleine Paquin, president and CEO of Logistec. “We look forward to working with the Georgia Ports Authority and our customers to meet long-term growth demands. With the addition of these warehouses, we can store higher volumes and increase our throughput capacity.”
The Port of Brunswick already supports 9,000 jobs in Glynn and its five surrounding counties, said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood.“Our efforts to accommodate the demands of auto manufacturers serving the Southeastern U.S. economy will create jobs and business opportunities within this region.” The long-term plan for the south end of Colonel’s Island will eventually add 540 acres in GPA-owned land to the auto processing operation. Another 140 south side acres owned by Mercedes and International Auto Processing brings Brunswick’s total vehicle space to 1,039 acres.
