SAVANNAH, Ga. — For goods going through the Port of Savannah, frozen poultry exports are up 8.5 percent compared to the numbers last year.
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, the Georgia Ports Authority said in a statement.
“We appreciate the trust consumers place in our services to move time sensitive, high-value, cargo to global markets efficiently,” Griff Lynch, GPA president and CEO, said. “Poultry is a major agricultural export for our state, and we are proud to support the industry’s growth.”
Number one poultry gateway
Georgia is one of the nation’s top poultry producing states, and the Port of Savannah is the nation’s number one gateway for frozen poultry exports, specifically. In 2025, export volumes totaled more than 54,000 TEUs or 757,570 tons, GPA noted.
Overall, Georgia Ports handled 37 percent of all frozen poultry exported from the United States last year, GPA added.
The Port of Savannah is built for this influx in exports as it is equipped with thousands of slots for refrigerated containers, including container racks and racks on chassis. All of this space will be beneficial for the Port of Savannah as the GPA is expanding its cold chain infrastructure and services.
A new multimillion-dollar U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at the Garden City terminal doubles the size of the previous centralized examination site, expanding refrigerated inspection capabilities and streamlines the process for importers by eliminating the need to truck containers off-site, GPA said.
This new facility opened in February and will also support inspections by the USDA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. Sometime this month, 4,000 square feet of refrigerated space will come online for chilled cargo inspections as the facility includes specialized temperature controls, ventilation and sanitation measures to preserve product quality during inspections, GPA added.
Northeast Georgia access
There is now increased port access opportunity for Georgia’s poultry industry in the northeastern part of the state, specifically in Hall, Franklin, Hart, and Madison counties. On May 4, GPA’s Gainesville Inland Port opened for business, giving North Georgia producers direct access to a rail service to Savannah.
Currently, frozen poultry exports move to port by trucks, GPA noted. This new transportation method reduces the number of trucks on the highway through Atlanta and creates jobs for the surrounding communities.
“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.”
In addition to space for public businesses, there are multiple private, near-port cold storage and blast-freezing warehouses that act as staging areas for products to be prepared and held before moving to Garden City Terminal and being loaded onto vessels, GPA added.
Various private businesses operate a refrigerated cargo warehouse in the Savannah area that includes ample space for frozen cargo and perishable goods. According to GPA, port officials said the near-port cold storage facilities extend Georgia Ports’ capacity, enabling quicker turnaround and distribution.
