Port of Savannah Drayage: Container and Intermodal Pulls in Georgia

Updated May 1, 2026 · 3 min read

The Port of Savannah is the fastest-growing container port in the United States — and the single busiest terminal complex on the East Coast south of New York. Savannah is now a strategic bet for importers and e-commerce brands: closer to the South Atlantic and Gulf population than Newark, wider highway access than the Bayonne or Goethals bridges, and consistently faster truck turn times than LA/Long Beach.

Terminals we cover at the Port of Savannah

Garden City Terminal — the main Savannah container terminal, largest single container facility in North America by area
Ocean Terminal — breakbulk and RO/RO, also some container movement
Mason Mega Rail Terminal — on-dock rail transfer to CSX and Norfolk Southern, the most important intermodal hub in the Southeast

Intermodal drayage in Savannah and the Mason Mega Rail ramp

Mason Mega Rail sits on the terminal itself, which is what separates Savannah from most East Coast ports. A container can move from vessel to rail without a street move in between, and that changes both the cost and the schedule for freight continuing inland.

We arrange two kinds of intermodal work at Savannah. The first is the drayage leg on either end of a rail move, meaning the pull from Garden City to the ramp, or the pull from an inland ramp to the consignee. The second is the full door-to-door routing, where the rail portion runs on Norfolk Southern or CSX and we cover the drayage at both ends.

Common inland destinations from the Savannah ramp are Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas, and Chicago. Whether rail or over-the-road is the better answer depends on the lane and on how much free time is left on the container, so it is worth asking for both when you request a quote.

Savannah container drayage rates by lane

Move type	Typical rate range	Notes
Port to Savannah metro (under 50 mi)	$400 – $600	Local warehouses, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Garden City
Port to Atlanta metro	$800 – $1,150	4-hour drive, most common long lane from Savannah
Port to Charlotte / Greenville	$900 – $1,300	Next day, growing warehouse demand
Port to Jacksonville / Tampa	$850 – $1,200	FL distribution corridor
Port to Memphis / Nashville	$1,200 – $1,600	Next day, intermodal alternative available
Overweight (tri-axle, permitted)	+$150 – $300	GA permits, +1 day lead

Port drayage across Georgia: Savannah, Atlanta, and inland lanes

Most containers entering Georgia through Savannah do not stay in Savannah. The Atlanta metro is the largest destination, at roughly a four hour drive, and it holds the majority of the state’s distribution capacity. Savannah, Pooler, Port Wentworth, and Effingham County handle the freight that stays local, generally for transload or for regional fulfillment.

We arrange container moves to both. Georgia lanes we cover regularly include the Savannah metro, Atlanta and the I-75 corridor, Macon, Augusta, and the Savannah to Charlotte and Savannah to Jacksonville runs that cross the state line.

Georgia issues its own overweight permits, which affects lead time on heavy containers. That is covered in the next section.

Overweight and specialty containers out of Savannah

Containers over legal gross weight need a permitted tri-axle chassis and a route that avoids weight-restricted bridges. Georgia permits are straightforward but they are not instant, so an overweight pull generally needs a day of lead time that a standard pull does not.

Reefer containers out of Savannah need genset capacity arranged before the pull, not at the gate. Hazmat requires a carrier with the endorsement on file and matching paperwork.

Flag any of these when you send the container number. It changes which carriers can take the move, and finding that out after booking is what turns a routine pull into a demurrage problem.

Why importers are moving volume to Savannah

Faster turn times. Savannah routinely pulls containers in 30-60 minutes at the gate — often faster than Newark or LA.
Better highway access. I-16 and I-95 feed directly from terminal without urban gridlock.
On-dock rail. Mason Mega Rail makes Savannah → Midwest intermodal competitive with West Coast routing — we book Savannah-to-inland intermodal connections to Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas, and Chicago via NS and CSX.
Lower congestion tier. Volume is growing, but less crowded than LA/LB or Newark on most days.
Competitive lease rates inland. Warehouse real estate in Savannah, Pooler, and Effingham County is much cheaper than NJ or Inland Empire.

What Savannah drayage looks like day to day

The biggest difference from Newark or LA: Savannah drayage is mostly short-haul and mostly clean. You’re either staying local (Savannah metro), heading up I-95 to Charlotte/Greenville, down to Florida, or going inland to Atlanta. We work with carriers who specialize in these lanes and know the terminal reps.

Savannah demurrage is similar to Newark: typically 4-5 free days, then $100-150/day per container. Free time at Garden City is usually predictable — when it does bunch, it’s from vessel arrivals not terminal operations.

Who we serve at Savannah

E-commerce sellers pulling to Savannah-area fulfillment
Southeast retailers importing to Atlanta DCs
Freight forwarders needing reliable SE drayage execution
Automotive importers serving Southern assembly plants
Paper and forest products companies (huge regional lane)
Consumer goods brands staging for SE regional distribution

How to book Savannah drayage

Send container number, vessel ETA, and terminal (Garden City / Ocean Terminal / Mason Rail)
Provide delivery address and live unload or drop preference
Flag overweight, reefer, or hazmat — changes equipment needed
Quote within 30 minutes during business hours
Once booked, we monitor vessel, schedule appointment, and pull within free time

Questions importers ask about Savannah drayage companies

Is BlackBridge a drayage carrier or a broker?

BlackBridge Logistics is an FMCSA-authorized property broker, MC-1624915. We arrange Savannah drayage through independent motor carriers who run the Garden City gate regularly. You deal with one point of contact and we handle the carrier side.

How do you choose which Savannah carrier runs my container?

Terminal, delivery address, equipment, and timing. Not every carrier works every gate at Savannah, and not every carrier holds overweight or reefer capability. The first question we ask on a quote request is which terminal, because that narrows the carrier pool immediately.

What does drayage cost from the Port of Savannah?

Local moves inside the Savannah metro generally run $400 to $600. Atlanta runs $800 to $1,150. Full ranges by lane are in the rate table above. Fuel surcharge, chassis, and any accessorials are quoted separately so you can see what you are paying for.

How fast can you quote a Savannah move?

Within 30 minutes during business hours, once we have the container number, vessel ETA, terminal, and delivery address.

Do you handle containers moving to Atlanta and other Georgia destinations?

Yes. Atlanta is the most common long lane out of Savannah. We also cover Macon, Augusta, and the Savannah metro, plus cross-border-state runs to Charlotte, Greenville, and Jacksonville.

Get a Savannah drayage quote

Call (516) 252-3395 or submit a drayage quote request. 24/7 for urgent pulls.

Get a quote in 30 minutes

Tell us about your container — we answer 24/7 for urgent port pulls and quote within 30 minutes during business hours.