THE Port of Brunswick has achieved 11 per cent growth announced Doug Marchand, the Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), during his recent annual State of the Port speech entitled, "New Investments Mean New Trade for South Georgia".
"In fiscal year 2006 alone, our business grew at a rate above 11 per cent in Brunswick to almost 2.6 million tons," said Mr Marchand. "In FY06 more than 368,000 auto and machinery units were handled at Colonel's Island terminal, 42,424 more units, or a 13 per cent increase over fiscal year 2005."
Mr Marchand also reported a 34.3 per cent increase in activity at Marine Port Terminal in FY06.
During his talk, Mr Marchand gave details on a series of new investments the port authority was planning to make to attract additional cargo to the Port of Brunswick. They include: $2.5 million to raise rail capacity by up to 100 per cent at Anguilla Junction; $3 million to construct new roads and utilities on the south side of Colonel's Island; $1 million to purchase a new grain tank to increase dry bulk cargo capacity; and $525 million to complete the North-South Connector Road on Colonel's Island.
The executive director added that the main priority for Brunswick now is to finish the harbour deepening works by summer 2007.
"Close to 80 per cent of the South Brunswick Channel to Colonel's Island is now complete and work is scheduled to resume within two weeks," Mr Marchand said.