Frozen poultry exports up 8.5 percent at Georgia Ports

Growers make Savannah top export gateway

SAVANNAH, Ga., May 28, 2026 – Frozen poultry exports through the Port of Savannah are up by 8.5 percent in the latest 12-month figures.

For the 12-month period ending in February, the Port of Savannah handled 55,957 twenty-foot equivalent container units of frozen poultry exports, an increase of nearly 4,400 TEUs or 8.5 percent compared to the same time period in the previous year.

“We appreciate the trust customers place in our services to move time sensitive, high-value cargo to global markets efficiently,” said Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch. “Poultry is a major agricultural export for our state, and we are proud to support the industry’s growth.”

The Port of Savannah is the nation’s No. 1 gateway for frozen poultry exports. In calendar year 2025, volumes totaled more than 54,000 TEUs, or 757,570 tons. Overall, Georgia Ports handled 37 percent of all frozen poultry exported from the United States last year.

The Port of Savannah features approximately 3,600 powered slots for refrigerated containers, including nearly 3,400 positions at refrigerated container racks and more than 200 slots for containers on chassis.

Georgia Ports expanding cold chain infrastructure, services

The Georgia Ports Authority is expanding its cold chain infrastructure and services. A new $49.25 million U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Garden City Terminal doubles the size of the previous centralized examination station. The on-terminal site expands refrigerated inspection capabilities and streamlines the process for importers by eliminating the need to truck containers off-site.

Opened in February, the building also supports inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In June, 4,000 square feet of refrigerated space will come online for chilled cargo inspections. The facility includes specialized temperature controls, ventilation and sanitation measures to preserve product quality during inspections.

Georgia’s poultry industry is concentrated in the northeastern part of the state, particularly in Hall, Franklin, Hart and Madison counties. GPA’s Gainesville Inland Port opened May 4, giving North Georgia producers a direct rail option to Savannah. Currently, frozen poultry exports move to the port by truck.

Savannah connects to 40 ocean carrier services, offering the most direct trade routes of any South Atlantic or Gulf Coast port.

“In today’s global business climate, customers are looking for more predictable supply chains and greater cost efficiencies,” Lynch said. “Our capacity and connectivity allow us to respond quickly to shifting market conditions, giving customers the flexibility to adjust routes and transit times to stay competitive.”

Extensive Private Infrastructure

Private, near-port cold storage and blast-freezing warehouses support exporters by acting as staging areas where products can be prepared and held before moving to Garden City Terminal and being loaded onto vessels.

A dozen private businesses in the Savannah area operate a total of nearly 2.4 million square feet of refrigerated cargo warehousing, including 1.64 million square feet for frozen cargo and more than 752,000 square feet of chilled space for perishable goods. Port officials said the near-port cold storage facilities extend Georgia Ports’ capacity, enabling quicker turnaround and distribution.

GPA terminals in Savannah are 50 to 100 miles closer to major markets such as Atlanta compared to other East Coast ports. Growing imports of chilled produce through Savannah mean a steady supply of empty containers available for U.S. exports.

ABOUT GEORGIA PORTS

Georgia’s Ports in Savannah and Brunswick are strategic gateways, creating the most competitive supply chains in the nation with their level of operations, connectivity and supply chain ecosystem. These attributes combined with Georgia’s ranking as the top state to do business for 12 consecutive years create a strong business model for growth. The Port of Savannah is one of the best-connected ports in the U.S. to world markets with 40 ship calls a week, 42 doublestack trains per week and 14,000 truck gate moves daily. The Port of Brunswick is the number 1 ranked U.S. RoRo port by annual volumes for autos and has an increasing amount of machinery cargoes with its expanded high and heavy cargo operating space.  GPA has a self-financed investment plan of nearly $5 billion for the next ten years which will see five new big ship container berths added in Savannah (the most new berths of any U.S. container port) and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick to meet future growth. In the past decade, GPA has invested $3.2 billion in infrastructure improvements. As part of GPA’s community engagement efforts, $6 million is being donated to port communities to support a multi-year, local workforce housing initiative, helping 178 families repair, buy or build a home in the Savannah area since its start in September 2023. For further information, visit gaports.com or contact Edward Fulford, Manager of Media Relations at [email protected]  912-964-3806.