The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is preparing for the season’s first arrivals of citrus fruit from South Africa, South America, and other international markets. To support this growing trade, the Port of Savannah is adding new ocean carrier routes, including a 26-day transit service from MSC linking West and South Africa to Savannah. These enhancements aim to provide more efficient supply chain solutions for perishable goods destined for the U.S. Southeast.
A key part of the expansion is a new $4.5 million temperature-controlled inspection site for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), scheduled to open in June at the Garden City Terminal. This 4,000-square-foot refrigerated space is integrated into a larger 300,000-square-foot facility that doubled the size of the previous CBP location. The infrastructure will support necessary inspections by the USDA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ensuring cargo remains chilled throughout the process.
The new terminal services and carrier routes are a direct response to customer requests for better cold chain logistics. By offering the option to have chilled cargo inspected on-port or at off-dock refrigerated warehouses, GPA provides importers with greater flexibility. These developments coincide with the expected peak of citrus imports from Chile, Peru, and South Africa, which typically cross Savannah’s docks in late spring and early summer.