The Georgia Ports Authority says the state’s shipping terminals in Savannah and Brunswick are off to a promising start in the new fiscal year that started July 1.

Georgia ports chief Curtis Foltz says the Savannah port handled more than 522,000 containers in July and August, an increase of 4.4 percent from the prior year. Overall tonnage of cargo moving through Savannah and Brunswick was up 5.6 percent to more than 4.5 million tons of imports and exports during the same two months.

The increased container traffic through Savannah was caused entirely by a very strong August. Port officials reported container traffic in July actually dipped 4 percent compared to the previous year.

Foltz released the figures Monday as the port authority's board met in Brunswick.

Tags: Port of Brunswick, Georgia Ports Authority, Curtis Foltz, Port of Savannah, Savannah port