August 25, 2020
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GPA achieves strong safety record in FY2020
Georgia Ports Chief Operating Officer Ed McCarthy says the Authority’s goal is for every employee to leave work the way they came. This philosophy is reflected in GPA’s value statement, with safety topping the list.

In Fiscal Year 2020, GPA’s lost-time accident (LTA) ratio was the lowest ever, with the previous record low set in 1998. The Authority’s LTA ratio, which is figured by the number of accidents per 200,000 hours worked, is evidence of its commitment to a safer work environment. Not only did GPA reduce the number of LTAs, but the recovery time for injuries also decreased. 


Investors announce
$574M in Ga. projects
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp recently announced roughly $574 million in new investments and 3,629 new jobs created in nearly every region of the state during the month of July.

Among those investments, GEDIA Automotive Group announced July 24 it will build an advanced manufacturing facility that will begin production with a focus on parts for electric vehicles. GEDIA will invest $85 million in this project, delivering 200 jobs to the greater Dalton area in Whitfield County.

GEDIA joins other companies bringing manufacturing and logistics operations to North Georgia.


Savannah, Brunswick played an important role in WWII Liberty ship construction 
During World War II, 173 Liberty ships were launched at Savannah and Brunswick. The ships delivered supplies to America’s allies.
During World War II, 173 Liberty ships were launched at Savannah and Brunswick. They hauled trucks, tanks, ammunition, crated aircraft, heavy machinery and a wide range of other supplies, along with a singular priceless commodity, the promise of eventual victory.

Nationwide, 2,710 Liberty ships were produced at 18 shipyards. They were constructed to a specific size, 441-feet in length, and speed, 11.5 knots at full steam. In 1941, it required 244 days to complete one: By 1945, that had been sliced to 44 days. At sea, they formed, ship by ship, a lifeline to America’s allies.

On March 15, 1945, just six days after the Georgia Ports Authority was created by the Georgia General Assembly, Brunswick launched its last Liberty ship — the SS Patrick B. Whalen. Through the course of the war, Savannah produced 88 Liberty ships, Brunswick 85. Of the 2,170 launched nationwide, only two have survived.