“Isolate and operate” is the plan for Georgia ports
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
Georgia Ports Authority keeping ports open through “isolate and operate” strategy
Georgia Ports Authority/Stephen B. Morton
The Georgia ports of Savannah and Brunswick have continued to operate since the coronavirus landed on U.S. shores, and they turned in record performances during the month of February. The Port of Savannah, for example, handled over 364,405 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 17% increase over February 2019. This is unusual news considering the impact the virus has had on the rest of the U.S. economy.
How has this happened? The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has adopted an “isolate and operate” strategy for the ports according to FreightWaves. Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch said “Operationally, we are redesigning staffing and procedures, such as assigning operators to specific cranes and having them report directly to the machinery. As a preventive measure, GPA is providing disinfectants to equipment operators, who have been instructed to wipe down their controls at the beginning and end of each shift.”
And, while the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has already started with union members, GPA will soon begin monitoring the temperature of Port employees, as well.
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