Sept.22, 2021
Greetings!
We appreciate the many efforts of our customers who have worked closely with us to move containers off terminal. Although we are not yet where we want to be, we have made great strides together, and want you to know your work will make a huge difference.
In an effort to provide our customers with container storage alternatives, we at GPA have been in talks with potential nearby storage depots, as well as under-utilized or empty intermodal rail yards near Atlanta, at our Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County, and in Northern Alabama. We are currently working with ocean carriers and BCOs to take advantage of these options for cargo destined for these locations.
In terms of container dwell time, as of Monday this week, we had 74,932 containers on the yard. Many of the cargo owners who have had containers on terminal for more than 30 days have begun to move those off terminal. We saw a reduction of 300 boxes in this long-term container dwell category.
An improving chassis situation should aid the clearance of cargo. Street dwell for 40-foot chassis in the Savannah region has edged downward to 14.9 days, compared to 15.6 days two weeks ago. Meanwhile, our daily gate move average grew to 11,468 last week, up from 10,936 the week prior. Turn times remain strong, at 37 minutes for a single move and 57 minutes for a double move. Saturday truck moves continue to hover around 3,000, while the weekday average last week was 13,125 truck moves.
Both CSX and Norfolk Southern continue to be strong partners and can support additional volumes into the Atlanta region and beyond. Our rail dwell time remains less than 30 hours, while rail utilization is 50 percent, with even more rail capacity coming online next month.
I would like to give a shout out to the motor carriers serving all of GPA’s facilities for their commitment and effort to help keep cargo moving. Although we had intended to observe National Trucker Appreciation Week last week, due to COVID we decided to hold off on our outreach until a later date. Thank you to all of our partners and customers for your efforts
Sincerely,
