SAVANNAH, Ga. – An independent research project unveiled some interesting findings in a press release by the Georgia Ports on Wednesday.
Georgia Tech researchers found shippers save money, boost reliability and achieve comparable average transit times when they land Atlanta-bound cargo at the gateway port of Savannah, instead of a West Coast port, the study reported.
“While vessel transit from China to the U.S. West Coast is shorter than East Coast transits, supply chain rehandling and congestion can lead to delays,” said Benoit Montreuil, Executive Director, Supply Chain and Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech. “Containers routed via West Coast ports are often trucked to local warehouses for transloading into 53’ domestic containers and then drayed to railheads for transit to Atlanta which can add further delays and transit variability.”
Doctoral students and professors from Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL) conducted the study, “Shipping Variability and Trade Route Decision-Making,” at the institute’s Physical Internet Center.
The independent study considered end-to-end transit time and cost. According to the release, researchers factored in both vessel and inland transit from ten Asia ports to Atlanta. They found that Asia/Atlanta via West Coast routings and Asia/Atlanta via Savannah routings are very comparable in robust transit time but Savannah is 32 percent cheaper. The major difference was Savannah routings were more predictable, consistent and cheaper.
“These are powerful findings that we understood anecdotally, but now have been proven by the research,” said Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch. “Savannah’s terminal velocity combined with faster inland routes overcome the West Coast Ocean transit.”
The SCL researches a spectrum of topics including fulfillment, transportation, logistics, sustainability and next-generation operating models. Apart from its Georgia-based operation, the institute supports global partners through its Panama Logistics Innovation & Research Center and an ongoing relationship with Universities and Supply Chain industry associations and companies in Europe and Asia.
Originating from Professor Benoit Montreuil in 2006, the Physical Internet Center pursues global logistics efficiency and sustainability. The center works with logistics operators in testing and applying new technological advances and methods in real-world, practical situations.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
