The port authorities of Georgia and South Carolina have signed a joint venture agreement that brings closer the development of the Jasper Ocean terminal (JOT).
This agreement establishes a framework for decisions on the proposed seaport terminal in Jasper County, South Carolina, on the Savannah River. It covers decisions on matters such as how the terminal will be managed, how profits will be shared, and other operational details.
Advocates say the JOT would alleviate pressures on nearby ports in Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
The multibillion-dollar terminal would be built on what is now 1,500 acres of unused marshland across from Elba Island. It is envisaged that it would handle as much cargo as the Garden City Terminal in Savannah port does currently.
Construction on the JOT is not expected to start for at least a decade even if all goes well.
