Georgia's ports are a significant economic driver, supporting over 605,000 full- and part-time jobs and generating $181 billion in annual sales across the state, according to a new study by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.
The study, released on September 1, 2026, highlights that these ports contribute $44 billion in annual income to Peach State businesses. Governor Brian Kemp emphasized the ports as "exceptional drivers of job creation and economic activity, both in the booming coastal region and in communities across Georgia."
Port activity has seen substantial growth, with employment supported by port operations increasing by more than 44,500 jobs between FY2021 and FY2025. Jeff Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia’s Terry School of Business, said that "Twelve percent of statewide employment, or almost one out of every eight Georgia jobs, is in some way dependent on the ports."
The total economic impact rose by 4 percent, or $7 billion, in FY2025 compared to the previous fiscal year. Business conducted through the ports also contributes significantly to public funds, generating $10 billion in federal taxes, $3 billion in state taxes, and $3 billion in local taxes.
The Port of Savannah, the busiest gateway for containerized trade on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, handled 5.67 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in FY2026. Meanwhile, the Port of Brunswick's Colonels Island Terminal is recognized as the nation's busiest and fastest-growing auto port. Georgia Ports is investing nearly $5 billion in a ten-year infrastructure plan to add five container berths in Savannah and one Roll-on/Roll-off cargo berth in Brunswick, anticipating 55 percent growth.