Blue Ridge Connector inland port reaches 95% completion

Blue Ridge Connector inland port construction is close to wrapping up, with the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) saying the project has reached 95% completion. That update appears in a Georgia Ports Authority press release and was also reported by Progressive Railroading.

The inland port and rail terminal is expected to begin operating later this year, although a full opening date has not been announced.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Blue Ridge Connector inland port timeline and terminal equipment

Next up is electrical power: GPA said the facility should be connected by the end of January. With that in place, commissioning can start in February for the site’s seven all-electric rubber tire gantry cranes, as outlined in the same Georgia Ports Authority update.

Rail service link to the Port of Savannah

The $134 million development is intended to connect the Port of Savannah with northeast Georgia through direct Norfolk Southern Railway service. In practical terms, it offers an alternative to a long-haul truck route of approximately 600 miles round trip.

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Benefits for northeast Georgia shippers

GPA said shippers in northeast Georgia will get a more efficient route to the port — supported by 39 ship calls per week — along with greater access to international markets. The Port of Savannah has two on-dock rail yards served by Norfolk Southern and CSX, a point also reflected in Railway Supply’s coverage of Port of Savannah’s rail connectivity.

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