SAVANNAH, Georgia: The Port of Brunswick became the top U.S. seaport for automobiles in 2024, growing rapidly and surpassing the Port of Baltimore.

Baltimore had been the leader for over a decade, but a deadly bridge collapse shut down its shipping channel for weeks, reducing its car shipments.

Georgia Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch announced the news in Brunswick, a small coastal city that has become a significant hub for importing and exporting cars, farm machinery, and construction equipment. In 2024, Brunswick's port handled 841,000 vehicles, a 13 percent increase from the previous year. This growth followed $262 million in improvements that expanded the port's ability to store and process vehicles.

Baltimore's auto shipments dropped 11 percent last year to under 750,000 vehicles. Its port reopened in phases and fully cleared by June, but officials believe it could have set another record without the bridge collapse.

Brunswick's port is smaller than Savannah's but has received heavy investment. Automakers have moved business there from other ports in South Carolina and Florida. Shipments of heavy equipment also rose by 160 percent to 29,000 units after Brunswick added facilities to install accessories and customize imported machinery.

More upgrades are planned, including a new docking area for larger car-carrying ships set to open in 2027. A new railyard will also triple the port's ability to move cars by train. Officials are seeking federal funding to widen the shipping channel, especially after a South Korean ship tipped over there in 2019.

Lynch acknowledged that Baltimore's struggles helped Brunswick rise to the top but said it remains to be seen if the port can hold onto its lead in 2025.