Georgia announces new inland terminal location

Gov. Nathan Deal, along with representatives of the Georgia Ports Authority, the Greater Hall Chamber and Norfolk Southern Railroad announced plans Monday to make Hall County the site of the GPA’s next inland port.

Handling both import and export containers at the Gainesville terminal, Norfolk Southern will provide service on a direct rail route to and from the Port of Savannah's Garden City Terminal.

Port officials say improved access to rail will increase logistics options and overall efficiency, while reducing congestion on Georgia highways. Presently, containers moving by truck travel a 600-mile roundtrip to and from the Port of Savannah. When the new rail yard opens, drivers will be able to make shorter trips from area manufacturers and distribution facilities to the Northeast Georgia site.

Located in the Gateway Industrial Centre on GA 365, the new 104-acre terminal will provide logistics solutions for customers across Northeast Georgia. The facility’s services will draw from the 1.5-million population in Hall, Gwinnett and surrounding counties.

In conjunction with GPA’s inland terminal announcement, Auto Metal Direct, a worldwide distributor of auto body panels and trim for classic cars and trucks, announced its intent to open a new 318,000 square-foot distribution and fulfillment center. Construction will soon begin on the new home for AMD in the Gateway Industrial Centre. Upon completion, the $15 million development will bring 40 jobs to Hall County.

The Northeast Georgia Inland Port is the second Network Georgia-related announcement this year. The GPA held a grand opening for the Appalachian Regional Port Aug. 22 just north of Chatsworth, Ga., on a 42-acre site in Murray County. The Hall County inland terminal is scheduled to be complete in 2021. At full build-out, it will have the capacity to handle up to 150,000 containers per year.