The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) announced that the Port of Brunswick posted its best month ever in March for automobile and machinery units or Ro/Ro (roll-on/roll-off) cargo at Colonel’s Island Terminal with a total of 42,740 units.

“We attribute the Port of Brunswick’s volume gains to a number of factors including economic recovery, a renewed consumer market for automobiles and the expanded vehicle processing center facilities,” said GPA’s Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz. “Brunswick has become the sixth largest U.S. auto port by having the best workforce, unsurpassed infrastructure, room to grow and a sound marketing plan to capitalize on its strengths.”

Colonel’s Island Terminal reported a 36-percent increase compared with March 2010 to post its best month ever. Ro/Ro volume at Colonel’s Island Terminal has posted a 51.7 fiscal year-to-date increase for FY2011 (July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012), compared with FY2010. The high automobile volumes are reflective of market share gains by the primary brands the GPA handles, specifically Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Kia and Volkswagen.

“As Brunswick continues its momentum gaining market share across the Southeast, the Port of Savannah is handling additional volume without delays on terminal,” said Foltz.

The Port of Savannah handled 238,030 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which was a 4.5-percent increase compared with March 2010. Fiscal-year-to-date volume for FY2011 is up 12.6 percent for TEUs compared with FY2010.