Savannah Terminal Gets Army Corps Permit
The Georgia Ports Authority's $2.3 billion Savannah Container Terminal on Hutchinson Island cleared a federal permit after a three-year review.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Construction
The Georgia Ports Authority received a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for the 350-acre Savannah Container Terminal on Hutchinson Island, announced at the authority's annual State of the Port of Savannah event. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2028.
Why it matters
The terminal's three berths, capable of handling the largest containerships, would add 3.5 million TEUs of annual capacity to the Port of Savannah's current 7.75 million. For Savannah, the expansion signals long-term growth in port-related jobs and trade activity.
The project's $2.3 billion cost and 350-acre footprint would add 3.5 million TEUs to a port that currently handles 7.75 million TEUs annually. Completion is expected in the mid-2030s, and the source does not detail how the investment will be funded.
The players
Georgia Ports Authority
The state agency that operates the Port of Savannah and oversees its major terminal development projects.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The federal agency that reviewed and approved the permit for the terminal's construction on Hutchinson Island.
Alec Poitevint
The chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority who has described the agency's planned $5 billion investment in future port capacity.
The details
The permit followed a three-year review of the proposed terminal, which Georgia Ports first proposed in 2020 with a designed capacity of 2.5 million TEUs. Separately, the authority is carrying out a $1.6 billion redevelopment of Ocean Terminal, which was more than 60 percent complete at the end of September.
Timeline
2020: Georgia Ports first proposes the Savannah Container Terminal.
November 4, 2026: Army Corps permit announced at the State of the Port of Savannah event.
January 2028: Scheduled start of terminal construction.
End of 2028: Scheduled completion of the Ocean Terminal container yard.
Mid-2030s: Expected completion of the Savannah Container Terminal.
Roadmap
The terminal follows the Georgia Ports Authority's $4.13 billion investment over the previous decade and extends it into a planned $5 billion program of future port capacity. The 12 million TEU long-term target signals the authority's intent to keep pace with growing container volumes on the East Coast.
For Savannah residents and businesses, the terminal is a long-horizon project with construction not starting until 2028 and completion expected in the mid-2030s. Near-term effects for shippers and local workers will depend on how the Ocean Terminal redevelopment progresses in the meantime.
The takeaway
Large port projects unfold over many years, so the permit marks an early milestone rather than an immediate change. Watching the Ocean Terminal progress and the 2028 construction start will show how quickly the expansion moves from plan to reality.
What happens next
Construction of the Savannah Container Terminal is scheduled to begin in January 2028, and the Ocean Terminal container yard is slated for completion by the end of 2028.
Further reading
Explore more Savannah construction coverage to see how the port expansion fits into the region's broader building activity.
