Despite all challenges, however, U.S. ports from sea to shining sea have continued to pivot and improve. Together, the ports are emblematic of international logistics leadership in the post-pandemic era.

“America’s ports play a central role in our supply chains,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg early in 2023 as he announced $662 million in available FY2023 funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) under the auspices of the Maritime Administration.

The PIDP program supports efforts by ports and other industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet the country’s freight transportation needs and ensure that port infrastructure can handle an anticipated growth in freight volumes.

In 2022, the Department of Transportation awarded more than $703 million to fund 41 port projects in 22 states and one territory.

“So many of the goods we all count on—from appliances to furniture to clothes—move through our nation’s ports on their way to us,” Buttigieg said.

Well before the availability of the 2023 funding was announced, U.S. ports began initiating an impressive array of infrastructure and other improvements designed to answer demand, unclog supply chains, and facilitate the free flow of goods for shippers.

A few examples of new and continuing projects include forward-thinking efforts ranging from massive expansions in capacity to new big-ship callings to data-sharing agreements enhancing supply chain performance among and across regional ports.
Let’s check in on some of these efforts, with a little port-hopping.

The Georgia Ports Authority plans to renovate the docks at Ocean Terminal in Savannah to provide two additional big ship berths, and transform the 200-acre facility to a container-only operation by 2026.

Georgia Ports Authority: Growing Bigger Together

The enthusiasm and pride of port officials at the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is evident in GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch’s remarks as he tours the new Savannah Transload Facility, a 300,000-square-foot warehouse one mile from the Garden City Terminal, just weeks prior to its scheduled opening in July 2023.

NFI Industries, a third-party logistics partner offering transportation, distribution, global logistics, and real estate solutions, will operate the facility.

The project is a case study in collaboration. “If we’re going to grow big successfully, the entire supply chain needs to be ramped up together,” Lynch says, adding that NFI will handle more than 400 containers each day and as many as 150,000 containers each year through the new facility alone.

“But it doesn’t stop there,” Lynch notes. “The Savannah area is adding more than 21 million square feet of building to date, and there’s another 30 million square feet on the drawing board. We’re going to have more than 150 million square feet in the next two years, just in the local market.”

The Savannah investment means that capacity challenges are finally being put in the rear-view mirror, thus increasing speed to market, Lynch says. Cargo moving through the Savannah Transload Facility will start its inland trek to stores and distribution centers faster, saving time—and money—for GPA shippers and partners.

In additional port enhancements, GPA is renovating Berth 1 at its Garden City Terminal. When those improvements are finished, the port will be able to simultaneously serve seven vessels, including four 16,000-TEU ships. The improved berth will add 1.5 million 20-foot equivalent container ships of annual berth capacity.

The GPA also is transitioning its 200-acre Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Having handled a mix of containers and breakbulk cargo for 40 years, Ocean Terminal will become an all-container facility.

Rebuilding the docks will provide 2,800 feet of berth space, capable of simultaneously serving two big ships. The first berth is set to be completed in 2025 and the second in 2026.

JAXPORT recently set a new port record with the arrival of the vessel ONE STORK, the largest container ship to ever call Jacksonville. Operated by shipping line Ocean Network Express within THE Alliance network of ocean carriers, the ONE STORK has a carrying capacity of 14,000 TEUs. ONE STORK is the first of nine larger vessels that will call JAXPORT weekly through the EC5 container service operated by THE Alliance.

JAXPORT: Europe Calling

Down the Atlantic coast in Florida, there is no less enthusiasm as the first ship in MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company’s ScanBaltic to USA service began calling JAXPORT—the Port of Jacksonville—with the arrival of MSC England in April 2023.

SSA Atlantic provided stevedoring services at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.

The bi-weekly, direct European container service calls seven destinations in Northern Europe, including locations in Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Germany, England, Belgium, and France.

“We are excited about this service addition that provides shippers and customers more routes to move their cargo to key markets,” says Robert Peek, JAXPORT’s chief commercial officer.

ScanBaltic to USA is MSC’s fifth container service at JAXPORT. The international shipping line also offers service from JAXPORT to destinations in Asia through the 2M Alliance as well as a North America service, Canada and Gulf Bridge, and two Caribbean services, Bahamas Express and Florida Gulf Feeder.

Record-Setting Call

Shortly after the arrival of MSC England, JAXPORT set a record with the arrival of the vessel ONE STORK, the largest container ship ever to call the port, utilizing Jacksonville Container Terminal’s newly deepened 47-foot harbor at Blount Island. The harbor provides the water draft needed to accommodate the larger vessels. ONE STORK, which made its first arrival in May 2023, has a carrying capacity of 14,000 TEUs.

ONE STORK is the first of nine larger vessels that will call JAXPORT weekly through the EC5 container service operated by THE Alliance, which has upsized the vessels in the service. It replaced smaller ships with six larger 14,000-TEU and three larger 13,000-TEU vessels.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, the marine cargo partnership between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, recently launched its 2023 Rail Cargo Incentive Program aimed at driving growth and cost-effective operations in the Pacific Northwest region.

Northwest Seaport Alliance: Pacific Progress

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), comprising the seaports of Seattle and Tacoma in Washington state, launched its 2023 Rail Cargo Incentive Program in April 2023.

The program provides a $50 per rail lift incentive for eligible rail volumes moving through the gateway. It is expected to generate some 60,000 additional rail lifts. That’s equivalent to 15% of NWSA international intermodal lifts in 2022.

“The NWSA strives to be the most efficient gateway for cargo movement, and the implementation of the rail incentive will ensure that we remain cost-competitive while offering the same best-in-class service for our customers,” says Deanna Keller, NWSA co-chair.

“As competition in the shipping industry intensifies with current market conditions, the rail cargo incentive program is an important tool to help attract additional cargo volumes that provide critical jobs for maritime workers across our gateway,” adds Sam Cho, NWSA co-chair.

The NWSA supports the establishment and growth of inland rail hubs to drive agriculture export cargo to the Tacoma and Seattle seaports. Most intermodal inland ramp locations served and/or operated by the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads will be eligible for the incentive program including ramp locations in Minot, North Dakota; Pocatello, Idaho; Millersburg, Oregon; and Wallula, Washington.

Data Partnership

In spring 2023, five California seaports—the Port of Los Angeles along with the ports of Long Beach, Oakland, Hueneme, and San Diego—signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the California Port Data Partnership alongside state and federal partners.

The memorandum outlines an agreement among the five ports to jointly advance computerized and cloud-based data interoperability (Interoperability is the ability of computer systems or software to exchange and jointly make use of information). The ports share a common goal: to support improved freight system resilience, goods movement efficiency, emissions reduction, and economic competitiveness.

The agreement “will create a greener, more transparent and more efficient supply chain, unlocking innovation in how cargo moves in California,” says California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

The partnership will serve as the basis of cooperation for $27 million in grant funds from the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for port data system development and emerging data aggregation and analysis efforts that support freight and supply chain resiliency.

“Sharing vital shipping data will reduce delays and aid the entire goods movement industry from the docks to doorsteps,” says Mario Cordero, executive director of Port of Long Beach. “By working together, California’s ports can enable end-to-end visibility and connectivity across the supply chain.”

BMW Group operates a Vehicle Distribution Center at the Port of Galveston to handle and process imports.

Texas Pride

A similar example of cooperation exists in Texas, where a strong and collaborative port system is vital to maintaining the state’s position as the nation’s top exporter and importer by tonnage.

The state’s 20 public ports handle more than 616 million tons of foreign and domestic cargo and represent 25% of the state’s GDP, according to the Texas Ports Association.

“While our Texas ports may compete with each other for business, we also work together through the Port Authority Advisory Committee (PACC) to raise awareness with key decision-makers about the vital roles Texas ports play and our future needs,” says Rodger Rees, port director and CEO, Galveston Wharves at the Port of Galveston.

“To meet demand and remain competitive with ports across the United States, Texas ports are investing heavily in upgrading their facilities,” Rees notes.

The Port of Galveston consists of the Galveston Ship Channel, the south side of Pelican Island, the north side of Galveston Island, and the entrance to Galveston Bay.

The Port of Galveston is implementing a 20-year Strategic Master Plan that details more than $600 million in major capital and maintenance improvements to maximize port assets. Port capital projects include an internal roadway, a fourth cruise terminal, and expansion and improvements to the West Port Cargo Complex.

These efforts, like those at ports large and small across the country, are in keeping with the shared mission of U.S. port officials to help improve supply chain reliability through increased port capacity and resilience.

As Buttigieg says, the goal of port investment is to strengthen U.S. supply chains and position the nation for economic success.

West Coast Ports Promote Sustainability

The Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere, and the Port of Long Beach have taken yet another step in their national and international leadership of sustainability efforts. The ports’ latest initiative is to collaborate on environmental issues with the Port of Tokyo and the Port of Yokohama.

Agreements to that end were signed by California port officials during the 2023 California Japan Clean Energy Trade Mission in March.

“California and Japan’s port partnership is a world-leading collaboration and a critical step toward achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions,” says California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

The ports of Tokyo and Yokohama also agreed to establish a green shipping corridor partnership with the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports in the coming year, an initiative aimed at reducing emissions along their respective trade routes and promoting low- and zero-carbon ships and fuels.

The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports already have established green shipping corridor partnerships with the ports of Shanghai and Singapore, announced in 2022 and April 2023, respectively. All these efforts have the support of C40 Cities, a global network of mayors working collaboratively to address climate issues.

“Curbing greenhouse gases from international shipping is essential to fight global warming,” says Mario Cordero, executive director, Port of Long Beach.

“Creating this green corridor with our partner ports and C40 Cities is part of our strategy to coalesce all of our efforts here and beyond to help advance our goals for cleaner marine fuels for oceangoing vessels, improve efficiencies for the global movement of goods, and to achieve a carbon-neutral future,” he adds.

Given that the flow of air and water cannot be contained within impenetrable boundaries, the agreements speak to the need for collaboration in ports’ environmental efforts.

“No single port or organization can tackle the challenge of decarbonizing the supply chain alone, no matter how innovative their technology or robust their efforts,” said Gene Seorka, executive director, Port of Los Angeles, in remarks accompanying the LA-Singapore agreement.

“The establishment of this green shipping corridor between the San Pedro Bay Port Complex and Singapore will prove to be a living, breathing testament to the power of global collaboration,” he added.

The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports comprise the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, which handles more containers per ship call than any other port complex in the world.

The California ports’ latest agreements add to a legacy of collaboration among U.S. and foreign ports. The long history of cooperation between the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Yokohama dates to a trade agreement signed in 1969 to strengthen trade routes between the two ports. Additionally, the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Tokyo formalized a Sister Port relationship in 1987.

You might say that Jones—who held degrees from Atlanta’s Georgia Tech and Emory universities and picked up another degree from Harvard for good measure—was a master of logistics before the term was commonplace in business and industry.

It is only fitting that he called Georgia home.

Managing the movement of products from one place to another quickly and efficiently—through the air, across the water, and over winding terrain, if not sand traps—is the essence of logistics, the Peach State’s stock in trade.

Businesses of all types and sizes thrive in Georgia, thanks in large part to the state’s pro-business government policies, traditionally low unemployment, available real estate, and ideal location—the latter especially important to the providers of distribution and logistics services.

Add to all that the state’s plentiful educational and organizational resources that are readily accessible to logistics professionals. The sum total is a treasure trove of logistics assets.

Soaring Higher

Georgia’s comprehensive logistics infrastructure includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the busiest and most efficient airport in the world—and, many say, the best in North America.

ATL is an economic star of Georgia, generating a $34.8-billion impact for metro Atlanta and providing more than 63,000 jobs on-site, making it the state’s largest employer.

Hartsfield-Jackson is a global gateway, offering nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations. These locales include major commercial centers in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and South and Central America.

In addition, ATL holds the distinction of being the first airport in the world to serve more than 100 million passengers in a single year.

Georgia also is home to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), where passenger traffic reached an unprecedented high in 2022: more than 3.5 million passengers, a 27% increase from 2021.

The airport’s record growth has been spurred by expanded services offered by airlines and by visitors to the region’s popular destinations of Savannah and Hilton Head Island.

SAV is currently engaged in capital projects totaling more than $150 million. Not only will improvements allow for additional growth in passenger traffic, but they also will lay the groundwork for a new air cargo complex and an expanded general aviation complex. These improvements will stimulate regional development and add to the airport’s $4.2-billion economic impact.

In all, Georgia’s airport system includes 104 publicly owned, public-use airports, nine commercial service airports, and 95 general aviation airports.

The airports are essential to the state’s transportation and economic infrastructure, supporting distribution and logistics as well as other diversified industries including technology, manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture.

Over Land and Sea

Georgia’s location provides direct rail access to the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwest regions of the United States. Both Eastern U.S. Class I railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern, along with 24 short-line railroads, track across the state.

The Intermodal Division of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) conducts planning and project development for freight, passenger, and commuter operations within the state, and oversees the development of the State Rail Plan, which identifies long-range freight and passenger needs.

Also crisscrossing the state are six U.S. interstates—1,200 miles of highway—connecting shippers to 80% of the country in two days or less driving time. To keep cargo and passenger traffic moving smoothly, GDOT even has a formal online and telephone program for reporting potholes.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s extensive port assets—which include deepwater ports in Savannah and Brunswick—continually improve their logistics operations. Savannah is poised to increase and expand services across an arc of inland markets, from Atlanta to Memphis, extending to St. Louis, Chicago, and the Ohio Valley.

Georgia’s resources enable the state to handle and haul more than $900 billion in cargo each year.

Empowered by Expertise

Geographical and infrastructure strengths notwithstanding, the true power behind Georgia’s logistics throne is expertise. Specialized programs in the state’s colleges and universities, as well as professional associations, combine to place Georgia at the leading edge of logistics thinking and innovation.

In addition to Georgia Tech and Emory, logistics programs at Georgia Southern and numerous other universities and technical colleges are among the most respected and best endowed in the world.

A particularly notable example of government-based logistics resources is the Georgia Center of Innovation, a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which offers logistics as one of its six areas of assistance and expertise.

The Center of Innovation annually hosts the Georgia Logistics Summit, bringing together speakers from prominent shippers and leaders in the state’s infrastructure and economic development communities, as well as speakers from some of the world’s most prominent supply chain focused companies.

Moreover, the state’s logistics network is both powered and utilized by more than 15,000 logistics establishments. It is from this community of colleagues that Georgia ultimately derives its definition as the logistics state.

Georgia Ports Authority: Port Leadership

A principal player in the extraordinary logistics success of Georgia is the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), which directly employs 1,800 logistics professionals and oversees the state’s two deepwater ports and three inland terminals. The GPA is committed to making Georgia a national leader in the response to challenges brought about by the supply chain issues of the past few years.

“The recent challenges have powered a transition toward a more digital marketplace,” says Cliff Pyron, the GPA’s chief commercial officer. “As more consumers have adopted online shopping, the supply chain has begun a long-term shift to better serve e-commerce. This involves greater warehouse capacity closer to population centers, with these distribution centers carrying a wider array of SKUs than traditional warehouses.

“Additionally, more cargo owners are diversifying their ports of entry into the United States as a hedge against delays caused by port congestion,” he says, adding that many cargo owners are now discovering the efficiencies of landing freight closer to major population centers east of the Mississippi River.

Tapping into Large Markets

The main differentiator for East Coast ports is proximity to most of the nation’s largest markets. Some 44% of the U.S. population is within a 5 to 16 hour drive of the Savannah deepwater port. These trends have resulted in greater demand for port services at GPA.

The GPA has instituted an aggressive expansion plan to ensure cargo fluidity. In November 2021, the GPA commissioned the final set of working tracks at the Mason Mega Rail Terminal, boosting GPA’s rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year, an increase of 30%.

Additionally, the Port of Savannah’s Peak Capacity Project added 1.2 million TEUs of annual capacity by expanding container yard space at Garden City Terminal.

GPA also is conducting renovations to Berth 1 at Garden City and the significant expansion of container storage there. The Authority is establishing two large-ship berths at Savannah’s Ocean Terminal and renovating that 200-acre facility into an all-container terminal.

These projects will double Savannah’s capacity to handle 16,000-plus TEU vessels. The Savannah Transload Facility, slated to open at Garden City Terminal in July 2023, will speed the transition of cargo from containers to over-the-road delivery trucks.

“Our philosophy of maintaining capacity at least 20% over current demand allowed our terminals to keep cargo moving, despite unprecedented volumes over the past three years,” Pyron says, adding that the state’s transportation infrastructure improvements augment the GPA’s efforts.

“GPA has a strong partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation, which is making major improvements to truck routes through Savannah, Atlanta, and other markets,” he says. “Direct access to Interstates 95 and 16 means truck cargo gets on the way to its destination without metro traffic congestion.”

Meanwhile, on-terminal rail at the Port of Savannah links to Georgia’s 4,600 miles of active rail lines, the largest rail network in the Southeast. GPA is now also providing domestic intermodal service through its Mason Mega Rail Terminal for 53-foot containers.

In addition, Georgia features a wealth of available near-port land that has aided aggressive investment within the third-party logistics sector.

IFS Freight: Simplifying Connections

Georgia’s ideal location puts it securely in the driver’s seat for transportation and logistics. “For the Southeast region, shippers can get their products the next day for the most part,” says Dan Witt, CEO of IFS Freight.

As the price of transportation assets such as tractors and trailers increases and availability decreases, IFS has implemented an improved preventive maintenance program so its fleet assets meet and exceed clients’ needs.

“We can transport anything or find the right carrier who can,” Witt says. “If you can’t find a carrier with enough capacity, we can ship it for you with our own trucks and carriers.”

In 2014, the company purchased its own transportation assets to help a client. That fleet has since grown to five tractor trailers, 16 tanker trailers, and three dry van trailers.

“IFS Freight connects you with the best carriers for less-than-truckoad (LTL), full truckload, or intermodal shipping,” Witt says. “We make LTL and full truckload simple, so you can focus on your business and not worry about logistics.”

Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, IFS Freight is part of the Atlanta metropolitan region. The company ships domestically across the United States and Canada through an expansive carrier network. Witt says IFS prides itself on customized solutions to reduce shipping costs and boost efficiency through multiple transport modes.

Beyond Rates

“Our team has direct experience working with different carriers in nearly every role,” he explains. “We understand firsthand how logistics works from an inside perspective.

“We’ve applied our extensive third-party logistics knowledge to create a superlative shipping experience,” Witt adds. “Our goals are simple—top-notch service and comprehensive long-haul, regional, and local shipping options that exceed expectations.”

IFS Freight opened its doors in 2005 with a goal to connect businesses with the best shipping rates from the industry’s best carriers. “Today, we still do just that,” Witt says.

“We’re more than just a logistics services provider,” he adds. “We’re problem solvers. We go beyond helping you find the best rate by solving your real business problems—even when the carriers can’t address your unique requirements. Our clients love us because we make their job easier.”

IFS Freight distinguishes itself as a unique Georgia logistics asset. “We provide a niche transportation service; we transport non-hazmat liquid bulk in tanker trailers,” Witt explains. “While we also provide dry van services, our core is in the tanker field.”

He is enthusiastic about the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) in logistics. “We provide trucking services within a 250-mile radius of Atlanta, so we are particularly interested in EVs,” he says.

The forward-looking focus is yet another way that logistics professionals in Georgia are leading the way for their peers.

“We offer more service options and savings opportunities every year,” Witt says.

Syfan Logistics: The Southern Way

Georgia’s value proposition in the logistics field is an extension of its way of life, according to Steve Syfan, executive vice president of Syfan Logistics.

“There’s something about Georgia,” he says. “Georgia has the right people. It’s that Southern hospitality. When we ask how you’re doing, we really mean it.”

That friendly and familial approach to business has worked well for Georgia and for Syfan Logistics, which remains a family company nearly four decades after it was founded by CEO Jim Syfan, Steve’s father. The senior Syfan worked in the transportation brokerage industry before launching his original company, Turbo Transport, in 1984 in Gainesville, Georgia.

Today, Syfan Logistics is an asset-based $450-million company with more than 450 employees. Yet the company’s leadership team—which also includes Steve’s brother Greg, who serves as company president—still holds its values as important as its value.

Company literature puts it this way: “Though we are a successful high-tech, multi-million-dollar corporation, Syfan Logistics remains a family business at heart—and an old-fashioned American success story. It’s our job to transport your cargo to its destination with zero complications—on time, every time, drama-free.”

Sales efforts are characterized by adherence to the mission. “Our philosophy is to find out what you need from us, not the other way around,” Steve says. “We strive to find out what our customers’ needs are and offer them a solution. By doing this we earn their trust and respect, which allows us the opportunity to grow a stronger relationship that will last.”

He credits Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp with setting a similar tone in state government’s relationship with business. He points out that Georgia was among the first states to reopen its workplaces when pandemic concerns began to ease. “I told the governor that he paused us, he didn’t shut us down,” Steve says.

Syfan Logistics took advantage of the opportunity to return employees to in-person work, but also recognized that employees’ personal costs were affected. “When they came back, so did their expenses—primarily food and fuel,” Steve says. “We compensated them for that.”

It was a demonstration of the culture that his father imbued the company with from the start. “My dad’s philosophy is to show it more than say it,” Steve says.

Expanding Into Drayage

The company further demonstrated its commitment to Georgia with its expansion into ocean drayage services, providing final-mile delivery of containers both ways between ports and Syfan’s carrier partners. The Syfan Ocean Dray Team has been building its operations since 2021 to provide greater convenience to shipping customers.

Another plus for Syfan’s entry into maritime services is the development of a new inland port for Northeast Georgia near Syfan’s headquarters in Gainesville. The company also has a new office in Savannah.

“We’re in a growth pattern,” Steve says. “We’re in the midst of doubling our office space.”

And initiatives such as an extensive paid internship program through regional colleges and universities continue to define the company’s commitment to its Georgia home. He lauds the state for playing its part by its diligence in maintaining and improving conditions for logistics professionals.

“The Georgia Department of Transportation stays on top of the interstate system and the needs of business,” he says. “The infrastructure is in place and Georgia is good at planning ahead.”

Atlanta Bonded Warehouse: Meeting Challenges

For all its assets, Georgia is not immune to the economic challenges facing every region of the country—and the businesses that operate within them—in an era when the only constant seems to be change.

In logistics as in other sectors, however, it helps that Georgia enjoys an economic climate that is the envy of the nation. The state continues its perennial occupancy of the top position on popular lists of the best states in which to do business.

Hal Justice, vice president of sales and operations for Atlanta Bonded Warehouse (ABW), says Georgia’s business-friendly environment is especially helpful to businesses struggling to attract and retain qualified workers.

“Georgia is doing everything that it can and should to get people to move here,” he says. “The state has done a terrific job in making Georgia attractive for business. We’re exceptionally pro-business.”

For logistics businesses like ABW—the Southeast’s leading provider of temperature-controlled and ambient warehousing, co-packaging, and LTL/TL transportation services—Georgia’s “very positive influx of new residents” helps soften some of the impact of labor shortages, he says.

LABOR PAINS

“I can speak for the whole industry, not just Atlanta and not just Georgia,” Justice says. “Everybody is dealing with the same pains. Number one is labor and number two is cost—the cost of labor and the cost of rent.”

ABW compensates its employees at the “higher end of the market,” yet the challenge of filling positions remains. “The gig economy has hit the logistics business,” he says, and the situation is aggravated by inflation. “We’re all subject to the same market forces. There’s a lot of hand-wringing over the economy.”

The bright side, Justice says, is that Georgia is coping as well or better with national economic challenges than other parts of the country. The major distribution markets of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, as well as the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are all experiencing the same challenges.

Forging Ahead

ABW has found that increased automation and an expansion of engineered standards—wherein workers’ time management is carefully measured—have enabled the company to maintain its history of success.

“Demand for storage capacity and warehouse services remains strong,” Justice says. “We focus on improving productivity, selective automation, and configuring our WMS (warehouse management system) to improve or streamline our internal workflows.”

For its WMS, ABW relies on Blue Yonder, a leader in digital supply chain transformations and omni-channel commerce fulfillment.
Through such efforts, Justice says, ABW has effectively dealt with the issues intrinsic to the “new normal” of logistics operations management. Likewise, these initiatives have enabled ABW to minimize price increases to its customers—an especially notable benefit in the food industry, where the effects of inflation have hit particularly hard.

With more than 70 years of third-party logistics experience, ABW remains a Georgia standout by offering clients a distinct competitive advantage through its singular focus on providing an optimal customer experience in the 3PL industry. Services include supply chain management and integrated warehouse management systems or proprietary systems provided by its customers.

ABW offers an additional asset: Colonial Cartage Corporation, an in-house carrier that provides comprehensive transportation services throughout the Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, and the Great Plains.

Taylored Services: Ability to Adapt

In uncertain times, Georgia’s logistics providers have demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt. For Taylored Services, which marked its 30th anniversary in 2022 as a leader in 3PL warehouse, distribution, and fulfillment services, flexibility has been a key to success.

With both East Coast and West Coast locations, the company added new luster to Georgia’s logistics landscape in 2022 when it opened a new distribution site near the Port of Savannah.

Although the pandemic created challenges and caused a few shifts in the way the company operates, including an increased focus on digitalization driving enhanced efficiency and cost savings, Taylored Services has thrived.

In addition, demand for contactless delivery has increased significantly due to associated health and safety protocols. This has led Taylored Services to increase its use of virtual signatures and contactless delivery methods, and to focus more on technology to ensure timely and safe deliveries.

Companies providing logistics services have improved overall through their innovative responses to change. All companies have been forced to create more flexible and resilient supply chains in order to respond to changing customer demands and deliver high-quality products.

Taylored Services works with Georgia’s local and state government organizations to identify and utilize the best resources available to expand and improve the logistics capabilities of the state.

The company collaborates with regional partners to develop and execute initiatives that enhance and strengthen transportation, supply chain, and infrastructure networks. It also provides training and technical assistance to increase the capability and capacity of local logistics service providers.

Education and Innovation

Taylored Services has leveraged the expertise of the state’s technical college system and Georgia’s Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Through the Georgia Quick Start program, the company was able to quickly onboard staff at the start of the pandemic, as well as help retrain existing staff to keep up with industry changes.

Moreover, Georgia’s Innovation Fund has been instrumental in providing additional capital for the company’s Logistics Computer and Software Upgrade project, completed in late 2020.

And the Logistics Certification Program offered by the GDEcD has provided a number of certifications to members of the company’s staff, allowing them to remain up to date on industry standards, regulations, and best practices.

For Taylored Services, Georgia is an ideal logistics location because it offers advantageous distribution networks, excellent infrastructure, convenient access to global markets, and the support of both a business-friendly environment and exceptional workforce development.

Taylored Services provides a variety of logistics services in Georgia, focusing on areas such as global logistics, regional trucking, dedicated regional truck fleets, and warehousing services. The company has invested heavily in innovation, including software and technology upgrades.

The 3PL has also invested in a new customer relationship management system to improve communication with customers and ensure improved customer service. In the near future the company will introduce a self-service portal enabling customers to access their accounts and make changes online.

SMC3: Whipsaw and Rebound

“The pandemic caused a whipsaw in demand and then supply, straining supply chains around the world,” says Brian Thompson, chief commercial officer of SMC³, a Georgia over-the-road data and solutions provider, optimizing freight transportation across the supply chain.

“But the logistics sector has risen to the challenge so that supply chains are now more diversified, connected, and resilient than prior to the pandemic,” he adds.

Headquartered in the Atlanta suburb of Peachtree City, SMC³ has a unique perspective of logistics in Georgia. In conjunction with faculty at Georgia College & State University (GCSU), SMC³—a “one-stop knowledge hub of everything LTL”—developed an online educational curriculum and the only program that certifies LTL expertise.

The company produced the program in partnership with LogisticsTrainingCenter.com, headed by GCSU logistics professor Dr. Karl Manrodt. The LTL Online Education program offers five courses from the fundamentals of LTL to advanced topics like LTL business analytics.

Addressing Challenges and Opportunities

The pandemic’s effects have especially impacted e-commerce and digitization in the industry, Thompson says. More frequent, smaller shipments have become more common as fulfillment centers proliferated near population centers, and that has translated into stronger demand for LTL and parcel.

Tight capacity strongly affected carrier service performance in the LTL business. “This unpredictability in service intensified shipper interest in shipment visibility as they struggled to manage inventory,” he says. “The need to leverage the benefits of technology drove many shippers to seek solutions from 3PLs that already had access to advanced technology solutions.”

Despite a slowdown in LTL bid activity for the past three years, Thompson says, good news has returned.

“Pent-up demand and easing capacity in early 2023 resulted in increased interest from shippers to test market prices through formal bid events,” he says. SMC³ has bid technology that enables shippers to reach out to a broad set of providers for capacity and price offers through automation of the many components of the bid process.

Then there are the unique advantages of Georgia’s place on the map.

“Georgia offers tremendous infrastructure—from ports to roads to an international airport—that has attracted numerous high-quality freight carriers, manufacturers, logistics and transportation, and technology companies,” Thompson says. “Their presence ensures there are many partners within a geographically concentrated area with which to innovate and collaborate.”

As part of its corporate citizenship and community outreach initiatives, SMC³ partners with nonprofits and educational institutions around Atlanta to provide community assistance and work with young adults to educate them on the professional benefits of pursuing a career in logistics and supply chain.

In addition, SMC³ distinguishes itself as a particular Georgia logistics asset through its annual Jump Start conference in January. The conference brings together more than 600 key players and executives from across the country to meet, network, and learn from transportation industry experts.

SMC³ plans to continue developing integrations to connect shippers, logistics service providers, and their asset-based providers.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to increase proactive monitoring, automation, and leverage data to create solutions that result in savings and more effective management across the supply chain,” Thompson says. “Watch for SMC³, as a top-tier logistics data and technology provider, to continue innovating in this space with new solutions to be unveiled in 2023 and beyond.”

“Georgia offers tremendous infrastructure—from ports to roads to an international airport—that has attracted numerous high-quality freight carriers, manufacturers, logistics and transportation, and technology companies.”

-Brian Thompson
Chief Commercial Officer, SMC3

nVision Global: Worldwide Reach

More than just a North American logistics powerhouse, Georgia’s strength and reach extends around the world. That power is exemplified by the role of Atlanta-based nVision Global, a world leader in global freight management solutions and services.

The company specializes in freight audit and payment, order management, supplier management, visibility, TMS, and freight spend analytics. Its Impact TMS (transportation management system) platform allows clients to plan, organize, and manage their global shipments in one easy-to-use global solution.

In addition to its Atlanta headquarters, nVision has corporate offices strategically placed around the world. Locations include Costa Rica (Central America); Ningbo, China; Noida, India; Kolkata, India; Cluj, Romania; Maastricht, Netherlands; and Glasgow, Scotland.

Global Perspective

“While headquartered in Atlanta, we focus on global companies to partner with and that is why we have offices all over the world,” explains Stewart Dunsmore, nVision’s senior vice president, supply chain services.

That global perspective gives nVision a special appreciation for the unique assets of Georgia. Dunsmore cites the state’s centralized location for distribution and fulfillment; the advantages of its Charleston, Brunswick, and Savannah ports; and its geographical position as a “gateway to Florida.”

Furthermore, a major plus is access to Georgia’s array of top universities and supply chain professionals, including the Atlanta branch of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).

“We have partnered with and financially support the local CSCMP chapter to help further their cause and to work with local supply chain professionals,” says Dunsmore, who adds that a past nVision executive served as the Atlanta chapter’s president.

One of the most significant changes in logistics that has occurred in recent years is an increased demand for visibility and tracking shipments in transit—a demand that can be satisfied by nVision’s Impact TMS. Companies are looking for more ways to save—with solutions provided by nVision’s freight audit, TMS and claims products.

nVision has adapted to the supply chain challenges of recent years with continuous TMS enhancements, enabling the processing of global parcel shipments, application programming interfaces (API) integrations with transportation providers and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms; customs integration and documentation capabilities; and an updated and enhanced business analytics platform, notes Dunsmore.

“We have refined our Transportation Management Solution for our global customers to ensure it has all the features they need to seamlessly integrate their internal systems, their suppliers, and all transportation providers into a single application,” Dunsmore says. “The TMS seamlessly integrates with our Global Freight Audit & Payment platform as well.”

The company’s stature throughout the world is enhanced by its Georgia home, he says. “With so many large corporations, we are able to target them as potential customers,” Dunsmore says, adding that each region of the world requires familiarity and expertise.

“We have spent more than 30 years designing and developing some of the best solutions worldwide to address global freight management,” he says. “Our global infrastructure gives us the ability to manage global supply chains utilizing our global control towers within the regions.”

“While headquartered in Atlanta, we focus on global companies to partner with and that is why we have offices
all over the world.

We have refined our Transportation Management Solution
for our global customers.”

-Stewart Dunsmore
Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Services, nVision Global

JIT Warehousing & Logistics: Family and Future

When all is said and done, it is the job of logistics professionals to get your cargo from here to there seamlessly and with as few detours as possible. That does not mean there are no twists and turns along the way, but a quality logistics provider makes the needed adjustments without interrupting the flow.

Georgia’s logistics professionals get it. And they lead the way in making the adjustments necessitated by supply chain challenges that have caused so much disarray elsewhere.

Savannah-based JIT Warehousing & Logistics serves as a prominent example. As the company’s name implies, JIT’s mission is to deliver just-in-time service to its clients.

Vice President Anna Lockwood cites the driver and labor shortages that have bedeviled the industry as a primary challenge that the pros have taken in stride. Offering competitive wages and incentives has been key to maintaining JIT’s quality service and labor.

“We’ve grown our over-dimensional division with an additional crane yard and added trucks and specialized trailers and equipment,” she adds.

JIT responded to meet a surge of imports. While the surge has now ebbed, she says, the issue was the catalyst for a long-lasting benefit: “We grew to accommodate and then, when the influx leveled off, we have maintained diversity to keep that growth,” Lockwood says.

Like many Georgia logistics firms, JIT is a family business. Other family members include President and Founder Ben Goldberg, Executive Vice President Evelyn Goldberg-Davis, and Vice President Trevor Lockwood.

The company has been in operation for more than three decades and enjoys both the literal—it is located just a half mile from the GPA’s Ocean Terminal and about 3.5 miles from the Garden City Terminal—as well as historical advantages of its deep roots in the logistics state.

At the same time, JIT keeps its vision on the future. “We have explored using CNG trucks and now have five in our fleet,” Lockwood says, adding that some of the older diesel-consuming trucks have been traded in to make way for the more modern vehicles.

JIT also is building an additional 240,000-square-foot Norfolk Southern-served rail facility to handle more export commodities.

In addition to operating facilities on the Norfolk Southern rail line, JIT maintains several other Savannah locations offering more than 750,000 square feet of warehouse space.

JIT is exploring strategies to keep the business robust regardless of whatever economic challenges—pandemic-related or not—that may place obstacles in the road down the line. “JIT is finding additional avenues to maintain business with importers through not only our local terminal but also through other terminals back to our local facilities,” , Lockwood says.

“Due to our variety and capabilities, we are a first call for problem solving for many of the lines and entities that work alongside the GPA,” she says.

It is precisely this level of cooperation and collaboration that keeps logistics as a constant Georgia state of mind.