Georgia breaks past global trade records, enhancing service and investing in infrastructure.
The state of Georgia has earned a spot in the Top Ten Exporting States, outpacing the national average for year-over-year growth in trade and export values. During 2025, Georgia handled $60.2 billion in exports, a year-over-year increase of 12.7%, surpassing the national average of 5.6%.
A key contributor to the state’s leadership in global trade is the Port of Savannah, the fastest-growing container gateway on the U.S. East Coast, according to the Georgia Port Authority (GPA). Compared to last year, container volumes in Savannah are up 12.5%.
Vietnam Two-way Trade with Georgia Expands
Over the past five years, the Port of Savannah’s container trade with Vietnam rose 38%, reaching approximately 379,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2025, driven in part by Vietnam’s expansion of its manufacturing capabilities, with electronics production increasing. Samsung alone has invested more than $23 billion in its Vietnamese plants, which supply more than half of the company’s global smartphone output. According to a GPA representative, these factors suggest that “Vietnam will remain one of the fastest-growing Asian corridors through 2026 and beyond.”
Recent trade agreements are also providing greater access to the Vietnamese market for US ports. In December 2025, it was announced that the US and Vietnam had agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs to 20% on imports, with some product categories potentially moving to zero under the new trade framework. Ongoing US-Vietnam trade talks may boost exports of agriculture, consumer goods and electronics.
The Port of Savannah now offers nine direct ocean carrier services to Vietnam, significantly improving connectivity and transit reliability between the two markets. “This has helped encourage steady two-way cargo flows in both imports and exports,” said a GPA representative. Exports include forest products, food, and cotton, as well as other US commodities such as hardware, resin, and retail consumer goods. In addition to electronics, the U.S. Imports include Vietnamese apparel, footwear, furniture, and machinery.
Transit times from Vietnam to Savannah average 33 days, while transit times between some locations are six days longer. In November 2025, a new service was launched, making Savannah its first port of call on the US East Coast. Gemini is an operational collaboration between shipping lines Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, originating from the Port of Haiphong in Vietnam. With a new rotation schedule, Gemini advertises transit times of 39 days from Haiphong to Savannah.
India’s Growing Economy has Trade Potential for Georgia
In February, a new trade agreement between the US and India was signed, providing an avenue for increased business between the two countries. The GPA welcomed this news, with its President and CEO Griff Lynch, stating that it has the potential to provide benefits for American exporters and consumers. He said, “The GPA has long thought India will be the key to our future success with the market proximity our US East Coast gateway offers. In time, this will bring more volume to Georgia ports.”
India is set to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2026 and is already the world’s most populous country with 1.5 billion residents. According to the World Bank, India is expected to outpace other Asian nations, with a projected GDP growth of 6.5%. According to a GPA representative, the new trade agreement will help US companies to diversify their supply chains, with sourcing from India offering a cost-competitive procurement strategy. The top Indian imports to Savannah are rugs, linens, machinery, appliances, minerals, and retail consumer goods.
Georgia ports handled 22% of India’s containerized trade on the US East Coast in 2025. Savannah’s overall loaded container trade with India grew by nearly 48% between 2021 and 2025. There are now six weekly services providing direct Savannah-India connections, with a total of 10 services linking Savannah to the broader Indian subcontinent. Eleven ocean carriers operate on these routes, delivering transit times as short as 29 days. Direct services are also provided to Nhava Sheva/Mumbai, Pipavav, and Hazira, with additional ports of call to the Indian subcontinent, including Colombo, Sri Lanka. The top Indian imports to Savannah are rugs, linens, machinery, appliances, minerals, and retail consumer goods. The top US exports to India through the Savannah are forest products, resins and rubber, iron and steel, and automotive goods.
According to a GPA representative, “The Port of Savannah offers faster transit times for Indian cargo going to markets such as Atlanta, Memphis, and Nashville. A GPA representative noted, “Ocean routes are shorter to the US East Coast, and Savannah delivers faster rail service.” Savannah’s speed to US rail providers is 22 hours. “Cargo is discharged from vessels on day one, placed on rail by day 2, and available to many inland destinations by day three,” said a GPA representative. The Port’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal handles 42 trains per week, with double-stack rail service from CSX and Norfolk Southern to all major inland markets in the US.
GPA Invests in Infrastructure to Support Growth
The GPA has committed to a self-financed, $4.5 billion infrastructure expansion plan over the next decade to expand container handling capacity. The plan will include five new big ship container berths added at the Port of Savannah. “This is the largest port expansion of any US port,” said a GPA representative. “This expansion will dramatically increase Savannah’s ability to handle large container ships, which benefits high-growth markets like Vietnam by avoiding congestion and increasing throughput.”
The state of Georgia remains committed to global trade, with Pat Wilson, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, saying, “Our Trade team is proud to play a role in helping large and small exporters through hands-on support, customized consultations, and data-driven insights, no matter where they are in the state.”
