Georgia seaports handled a record number of automobiles in 2023 while container trade dropped 16%

The Georgia Ports Authority says it handled a record number of automobiles on its docks last year. The state agency reported Tuesday that more than 775,000 autos and heavy machinery units moved through the Port of Brunswick in the 2023 calendar year. That is an increase of more than 15% compared with the previous year. Port officials are investing $262 million to expand Brunswick's booming auto business, with agency CEO Griff Lynch aiming to pass Baltimore as the top U.S. port for automobiles by 2026. Meanwhile, the Port of Savannah saw cargo shipped in containers drop 16% last year. Lynch says that is because retailers had excess inventory as inflation slowed consumer spending.