CMA CGM Figaro Returns to Savannah

Savannah, Ga. – December 10, 2010 – The CMA CGM Figaro made its second call on the Port of Savannah today, signaling a sign of things to come. The 8,500-TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) capacity vessel covers the U.S. West Coast, Far East and U.S. East Coast trade via the Suez Canal. As one of the larger vessels calling on the U.S. East Coast, the Figaro allows American companies to better compete on a global scale by loading more exports and transporting them overseas quicker.

In order to more efficiently handle vessels like the Figaro, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) will deepen the river from its current 42 foot depth to as much as 48 feet. This project – one of the most important and productive civil works projects in the country – will maintain and create jobs and commerce throughout the region.

Photo by Stephen Morton.

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 295,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $15.5 billion in income, $61.7 billion in revenue and $2.6 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy.

For additional information, please contact GPA’s Senior Director of External Affairs Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com. Visit the GPA web site at www.gaports.com.