U.S. Customs will open a chilled cargo inspection facility at the Port of Savannah on July 1, saying it is aimed in part at protecting domestic agriculture from invasive pests or plant diseases.
Refrigerated cargo inspections will be performed in a 4,000 square-foot temperature-controlled environment, without breaking the cold chain. Port officials said the facility has specialized infrastructure to ensure temperature controls, cleanliness, ventilation, and freshness throughout the clearance and inspection process. There are 20 refrigerated power plug-ins on the exterior walls for refrigerated containers on chassis.
According to the port, the temperature-controlled section of the facility offers produce importers a new option to have chilled cargo inspected on-port, and will complement the numerous off-dock, nearby refrigerated warehouses. “Our on-terminal Customs station supports the expedited handling of perishable cargo,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch. “We know it’s important for shippers to get these commodities onto store shelves as quickly as possible while maintaining food safety.”
Chilled cargo imports are one of the fastest-growing sectors for Georgia Ports Authority, rising 10.5% for the fiscal year to date (July 1, 2025-May 31, 2026) to 43,540 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU).
The refrigerated space is part of a $49.25 million project that moved U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations from their previous 130,000 square-foot location on Garden City Terminal to an adjacent 300,000 square-foot building, also on terminal.
