In his annual State of the Port address Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz reported 1,900 new jobs and 2.7 million square feet of industrial expansion tied to a year of phenomenal growth for Georgia's deepwater ports.

"Record growth at our ports, coupled with strong statewide pro-business leadership clearly played a pivotal role in landing these new companies and related jobs, including developments by Bed, Bath & Beyond, Pactra and Trident Seafood," Foltz said (See graphic at end of release). "This strong performance not only aided the addition of 1,900 new port-related jobs, but created additional positions throughout the transportation and logistics chain as well as supporting more than 350,000 jobs across the state."

Gov. Nathan Deal said Georgia's ports are a key facet in the state's ability to attract and grow industries.

"Our ports are a critical driver of our economy, creating jobs and offering new opportunities in every corner of the state," Deal said. "In the past two years alone, Georgia has been ranked the top state in the U.S. for business by three different scoring agencies. Our state's commitment to maintaining a high-performing, interconnected logistics infrastructure such as our ports is one of the reasons we were able to achieve this success. Companies know that when they choose to locate here, they are choosing a state with a global logistics hub, top-ranked workforce and a business-friendly government."

Foltz also detailed progress toward deepening the Savannah Harbor, including $266 million in construction dollars set aside by Gov. Deal and the Georgia General Assembly; the signing of the Water Resources Reform & Development Act, which gave final federal authorization; and the imminent signing of the federal-state cost sharing agreement, which will allow construction to start in the coming weeks.

"Improving the Savannah Harbor is vitally important to the continued economic health of this state and region," Deal said. "By accommodating larger, more efficient vessels, the deepening will reduce shipping costs for American businesses by $213 million a year."

GPA Board Chairman James Walters added that the port deepening will further empower Georgia's deepwater ports to stimulate growth.

"The success of our ports helps to sustain and grow jobs within the logistics industry and beyond," said Walters. "By improving the capacity and efficiency of our terminals, we provide a more cost-effective gateway to global markets for goods from American farms, forests and factories."

Before an audience of 1,300, Foltz also discussed how the Port of Savannah is making infrastructure improvements to more than double its current throughput within 10 years and accommodate more than 6.5 million TEUs per year on the existing terminal footprint. Long-term plans call for increasing the number of ship-to-shore cranes from 22 to 30 and rubber-tired gantry cranes from 116 to 169. Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation will complete the Jimmy Deloach Parkway Extension in the summer of 2016 to provide a one-of-a-kind cargo beltway connecting the Port of Savannah with Interstates 95 and 16.

The State of the Port program included a video in which port-related workers and even a cotton farmer detailed the benefits of the harbor deepening. For longshoremen, crane operators and tug boat captains, the harbor deepening means the continued security of a living made on the waterfront. For distribution center managers, the cost savings associated with larger, more efficient vessels means they can expand their operations in Savannah. Small business operators say the ports give them an efficient link to global sourcing, while farmers say the 20-40 percent cost savings realized from the deepening will make their products more competitive on the global market.

 "Georgia is uniquely equipped to help manufacturers compete in world markets," Walters said. "By providing reliable, cost effective transportation solutions, the Port of Savannah has become the load center for trade in the U.S. Southeast."