PANAMA — Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp are headed to an economic development mission to Panama this week, focusing on logistics infrastructure and supply chain operations at the Panama Canal.
The trade mission includes representatives from the Georgia Ports Authority and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, highlighting the importance of the Panama Canal in connecting Georgia’s ports with key international markets.
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“Georgia’s ports directly and indirectly support over 650,000 jobs across the state and are some of the fastest growing in the United States,” Kemp said in a statement.
Georgia ranks sixth in the United States for dollar value of trade, facilitating more than $198.7 billion in trade to 222 unique countries and territories in 2024 alone.
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The ports of Savannah and Brunswick play a crucial role in this trade, with the Port of Savannah being one of the best-connected U.S. ports to world markets, handling 35 ship calls a week, 42 doublestack trains per week, and 14,000 truck gate moves daily.
“Connectivity drives business, and the Panama Canal is a vital link in Georgia’s global network,” Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said.
The Port of Brunswick is noted as the top U.S. roll-on/roll-off port for automotive and machinery logistics, having undergone over $262 million in recent upgrades and with a new $100 million fourth berth under construction.
“The Panama Canal is a vital link in Georgia’s global trade network, and we aim to strengthen our ties through this visit,” Griff Lynch, President and CEO of Georgia Ports Authority, said.
Officials said the mission to Panama underscores Georgia’s commitment to enhancing its logistics infrastructure and maintaining its competitive edge in global trade.
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