How container drayage works in Savannah
Nearly all of Savannah's containers move through Garden City Terminal, one huge terminal run by the Georgia Ports Authority with on-terminal rail. Most import boxes are delivered within 30 miles, to the warehouse belt along I-16 and I-95.
- Terminal
- Garden City Terminal: one operator, one gate system
- Rail
- Mason Mega Rail Terminal on site, NS and CSX
- Warehouses
- Garden City, Pooler, Rincon, Bloomingdale and Ellabell
- Inland ports
- Rail to Crandall, Gainesville and Cordele
More about drayage in Savannah
Almost all of Savannah's container traffic runs through Garden City Terminal, a single giant facility on the Savannah River west of downtown, operated by the Georgia Ports Authority itself rather than private terminal operators. One operator, one gate system and one set of rules make Savannah simpler for truckers than multi-terminal ports, but the scale is enormous: thousands of trucks pass through its gates each day.
Rail is built in. The Mason Mega Rail Terminal inside Garden City gives Norfolk Southern and CSX long working tracks on the terminal itself, so containers can move straight to Atlanta, Memphis, Chicago and the Ohio Valley, as well as to the GPA's inland ports in Crandall, Gainesville and Cordele. The GPA is also converting its Ocean Terminal, closer to downtown, into a second container terminal to add capacity.
Around the port, one of the country's largest warehouse markets has grown up along Interstates 16 and 95, State Route 21 and the Jimmy DeLoach Parkway, from Garden City and Pooler to Rincon, Bloomingdale and Ellabell. Most import containers are delivered within 30 miles of the terminal, unloaded and the goods redistributed across the Southeast.
2
Marine terminals
1
Rail ramp
Railroads
Norfolk Southern · CSX
Main highways
I-95 · I-16 · I-516 · SR-21 · SR-307 · Jimmy DeLoach Parkway · US-80
Container terminals and rail ramps in Savannah
Where containers are picked up and returned in the Savannah area.
Marine terminal
Rail ramp
Garden City Terminal
Marine terminal · Georgia Ports Authority
The largest single-terminal container operation in North America, on the Savannah River west of downtown.
Mason Mega Rail Terminal
Rail ramp · Georgia Ports Authority
On-terminal rail yard at Garden City served by Norfolk Southern and CSX, with long working tracks for unit trains.
Ocean Terminal
Marine terminal · Georgia Ports Authority
Terminal near downtown Savannah being converted into a second container terminal to add capacity.
Warehouses, transloads and the Hyundai Metaplant
Big-box retailers, home goods brands and e-commerce companies have built import distribution centers around Savannah, many of them over a million square feet. Transloading is common: goods are unloaded from ocean containers and reloaded into domestic trailers for delivery to stores and fulfillment centers across the Southeast and Midwest.
Manufacturing is adding a new layer. Hyundai Motor Group's Metaplant America in Bryan County, west of Savannah, builds electric vehicles and draws suppliers that import parts and battery components through the port. Those flows bring just-in-time drayage with strict delivery windows.
Local moves are short, but traffic around the port, especially on SR-21, SR-307 and I-16 near the terminal gates, can be heavy at peak times. Carriers schedule early gate appointments and night moves where possible.
Exports from Georgia and the Southeast
Savannah is also a major export port. Kraft paper and pulp, poultry, cotton, peanuts, wood pellets, clay and machinery from Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama and Tennessee leave through Garden City. Many exports come by rail from inland ports, but a large number arrive by truck from plants within a few hours' drive.
Export drayage involves pulling empty containers from the terminal or empty depots, delivering them to the shipper for loading, and returning them before the vessel cutoff. Paper and other heavy goods may need tri-axle chassis or careful weight planning. Reefer exports, especially frozen poultry, need generator sets and cold storage coordination. Several cold storage warehouses near the port serve this trade.
Harbor deepening and bigger ships
The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project deepened the river channel to 47 feet, allowing larger container ships to reach Garden City Terminal with more cargo. Bigger ships mean bigger surges: when a large vessel discharges thousands of containers at once, local trucking capacity and gate appointments are tested.
The Georgia Ports Authority has added berth space, cranes and container yard capacity to keep pace, and the Ocean Terminal conversion will add another container berth. For truckers, more capacity at the terminal translates into shorter waits when demand is steady, but peak weeks still require planning.
Shippers who work with carriers that have strong relationships at Garden City, and who share container details early, tend to get their containers out faster during these surges.
Common lanes out of Savannah
Approximate one-way highway miles for the runs local carriers quote most often.
Pooler / Rincon / Effingham
Large import distribution centers close to the port.
15 mi
Bryan County (Hyundai Metaplant)
EV manufacturing and suppliers west of Savannah.
30 mi
Charleston
South Carolina port and distribution via I-95.
110 mi
Jacksonville
Northeast Florida via I-95.
140 mi
Macon
Central Georgia via I-16.
165 mi
Atlanta
Long-haul port drayage; competes with Norfolk Southern and CSX rail.
250 mi
Booking drayage in Savannah: what to know
Local habits that change the price and timing of a move in Savannah. Mention them when you ask for a quote.
Book gate appointments early
Garden City is huge and busy. Carriers with good appointment access and night capability can pull containers faster.
Consider an inland port
For North and South Georgia, Gainesville, Crandall and Cordele can cut truck miles. Ask your ocean carrier about through rail service.
Plan heavy exports
Paper, clay and machinery exports can exceed standard weights. Share accurate weights for chassis and permit planning.
Watch per diem on transloads
If you transload near the port, return the empty quickly to avoid per diem on the ocean container.
Drayage markets near Savannah
Many carriers that serve Savannah also run these nearby ports and rail ramps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about container drayage in Savannah, GA.