Georgia’s auto port has its busiest month ever after taking 9,000 imports diverted from Baltimore

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Ports Authority says a surge of auto imports rerouted from Baltimore led to its busiest month ever for car and truck shipments. The Georgia agency’s chief executive said Tuesday that the Port of Brunswick saw more than 80,000 automobiles and heavy machinery units move across its docks in April. That’s a whopping 44% increase over the same month last year. Georgia Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch says the auto surge included 9,000 vehicles that had to be diverted from the Port of Baltimore after a bridge collapse in March closed its harbor to most ships. Auto imports to Georgia were already up before the Baltimore disaster, fueled by high consumer demand.