- Georgia Ports Authority introduces a new fast-track routing system to speed vessel transits and cargo operations at the Port of Savannah.
- The lay berth option at Ocean Terminal reduces idle berth time from 12–15 hours to just three hours.
- Maersk’s CCNI Arauco is the first vessel to benefit, beginning operations 10 hours earlier than scheduled.
Sailing schedules are one of the most critical performance measures for global ocean carriers. Factors such as weather conditions, port congestion, and cargo handling challenges often disrupt timetables, making any opportunity to save time highly valuable. The new process at Savannah provides operators with an advantage to maintain or even recover their schedules.
Lay Berth Advantage
At the core of this system is the new lay berth arrangement at Ocean Terminal, located close to Garden City Terminal. This option allows inbound vessels to temporarily dock while awaiting the next available berth at Garden City. By pre-staging in this manner, ships are able to transition quickly once a berth opens, significantly reducing waiting times and expediting cargo handling.
First Customer and Operational Gains
The Maersk-operated CCNI Arauco, part of the Gemini Service, will be the first vessel to benefit from this option. Thanks to the lay berth, it can begin operations at 1900 hrs on Thursday, September 11, 2025, instead of waiting until 0700 hrs the following morning. According to GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch, this innovation, combined with GPA’s eight available ship labor start times, opens up new opportunities for carriers to stay on schedule and for cargo owners to benefit from improved reliability.
Boosting Capacity and Efficiency
The new system enables GPA to handle two additional ships each week, increasing berth utilization and overall port capacity. Most importantly, the lay berth reduces idle berth time from the traditional 12–15 hours to just about three hours, a major efficiency gain that positions Savannah as a stronger, more agile hub in the global supply chain.
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Source: Georgia Ports Authority
