Georgia’s deepwater ports sustain 605,616 full- and part-time positions in enterprises statewide, bringing in US$ 44 billion in yearly earnings, per the newest analysis from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. The overall economic effect climbed 4 percent, or US$ 7 billion, during fiscal year 2025 versus the preceding year, with port operations now underpinning US$ 181 billion in annual sales across the state.

Read also: Georgia Ports Authority Reports Second Busiest Year Ever in 2025

Jeff Humphreys, who heads the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry School of Business, carried out the research, revealing that roughly 12% of all state employment—or about one in every eight jobs in Georgia—relies to some degree on port activity. Port clients, their vendors, and enterprises sustained by spending from port-related payrolls now make up 12% of Georgia’s total economic output, an increase from 11% in fiscal year 2024.

From fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year 2025, the number of jobs tied to port operations rose by more than 44,500. Activity linked to the ports produces US$ 10 billion in federal tax revenue, US$ 3 billion in state tax revenue, and US$ 3 billion in local tax revenue each year.

Savannah’s port, which stands as the leading hub for containerized shipping along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, moved 5.67 million TEUs during fiscal year 2026, aided by 40 weekly ship arrivals, direct highway connections, and 42 weekly rail services heading to interior markets. Brunswick’s Colonel’s Island Terminal holds the title as the country’s busiest and quickest-expanding automobile port, processing about 65,000 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo every month.

Georgia Ports is advancing a US$ 5 billion infrastructure initiative funded internally, which will introduce five container berths in Savannah—more than any other U.S. port—plus one RoRo berth in Brunswick, targeting a 55% boost in capacity over a decade. Governor Brian Kemp and GPA Board Chairman Alec Poitevint both pointed to the ports as outstanding contributors to job growth and economic momentum, while GPA President Kevin Price underscored the organization’s commitment to delivering affordable, dependable, and effective services that draw corporate investment and open doors for residents of Georgia.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform