Port of Brunswick¶
America's #1 Auto Import Port — In a Small Metro with a Superfund Legacy¶
~300 t criteria pollutants emitted at berth annually (scaled estimate)
35K+ below-median-income residents in surrounding communities
$20M+ estimated annual public health cost of port emissions
ZERO mandatory at-berth emissions controls
Sources: ICCT Port Emissions Screening (2024); Georgia Ports Authority statistics; EPA BenMAP methodology; U.S. Census ACS; CDC PLACES (2024); EPA TRI; EPA EJScreen.
Download This Assessment
A downloadable PDF version of this assessment is under preparation. Contact us for early access.
Port Overview¶
The Port of Brunswick is the largest U.S. port for automobile, heavy machinery, and farm equipment imports and exports — a position it claimed in early 2025 when it surpassed Baltimore in volume. Operated by the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) — the same authority that operates Savannah — with Phil Hendrickson as GPA's Chief Operating Officer for Brunswick. The port is dominated by RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) vessel traffic calling at Colonel's Island Terminal and Mayor's Point Terminal.
Brunswick's small-metro context (Glynn County population ~85,000) produces a distinctive emissions profile: a relatively modest absolute emissions volume impacting a small population, creating elevated per-capita exposure similar to Duluth-Superior. Brunswick is also distinguished by its Superfund intersection — the Hercules 009 Landfill Superfund site and LCP Chemicals Superfund site are both in the Brunswick port area, paralleling Duluth's Superfund intersection.
The port's RoRo cargo profile — auto carriers and heavy equipment vessels — is distinctive: this vessel class was the original target for CARB-certified barge-mounted emissions capture technology, making Brunswick a strong candidate for early deployment.
Who Is Affected¶
Brunswick's Black communities near the port and the Hercules Superfund site bear disproportionate environmental burden. The contrast between the affluent Golden Isles tourism economy (St. Simons, Jekyll Island) and the working-class Brunswick port communities is stark.
| Community | Population | Key Health Burden |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick (historic district) | 15,000+ | Predominantly Black; adjacent to Colonel's Island Terminal and Hercules Superfund |
| Urbana / Perry Park | 3,000+ | Historically Black neighborhoods adjacent to port operations |
| Brunswick Peninsula | 10,000+ | Port-adjacent residential; RoRo truck corridor exposure |
| Thalmann / Glynn County (unincorporated) | 20,000+ | Rural port-adjacent areas |
| Golden Isles (St. Simons, Jekyll Island) | 15,000+ | Tourism economy; downwind exposure but higher income |
Environmental Justice
Brunswick's working-class Black communities have borne the cumulative burden of two major Superfund sites (Hercules 009 Landfill, LCP Chemicals) alongside port operations for decades. Glynn County has documented environmental health disparities. The stark contrast with the affluent Golden Isles tourism economy (St. Simons, Jekyll Island) is a defining characteristic of local environmental justice dynamics.
Tribal consultation follows the same pattern as Savannah — Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are consulted on USACE projects per Section 106.
Community Health Profile¶
CDC PLACES data for Glynn County provides tract-level health estimates:
| Health Measure | Port-Adjacent Tracts | Georgia | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.8% | 9.6% |
| COPD among adults | 8.5% | 7.0% | 6.4% |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.0% | 6.5% | 5.7% |
| Depression among adults | 22.5% | 20.0% | 20.5% |
| Obesity among adults | 39.0% | 34.2% | 33.0% |
| Fair or poor self-rated health | 22.0% | 18.5% | 17.5% |
| High blood pressure | 39.5% | 34.8% | 32.5% |
Port-adjacent Brunswick tracts show elevated rates across every indicator, with COPD (+1.5 pp) and high blood pressure (+4.7 pp) showing the largest gaps. EPA's Toxics Release Inventory identifies 20+ TRI-reporting facilities in Glynn County, concentrated near the port and the two Superfund sites.
Health Impact Analysis¶
| Health Outcome | Current Annual Burden | With At-Berth Capture |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 emissions at port (tonnes/yr) | ~75 t (scaled estimate) | 69–99% reduction |
| NOx emissions at port (tonnes/yr) | ~180 t (scaled estimate) | Up to 95% reduction |
| Premature deaths from port PM2.5 | Estimated 3–8/year | 2–8 lives saved/year |
| Cardiovascular & respiratory hospitalizations | Estimated 12–32/year | 8–30 avoided/year |
| Childhood asthma ED visits | Estimated 18–48/year | 13–46 avoided/year |
| Monetized public health benefit (EPA VSL) | $20M+/year | $14–$20M saved/year |
Methodology Note
Emissions estimates reflect Brunswick's RoRo-dominant traffic. RoRo auto carriers have a distinct emissions profile — shorter at-berth times than containers but concentrated per-call emissions during loading operations. Brunswick's smaller absolute tonnage (~10M tons/yr) produces lower absolute emissions than Savannah, but per-capita exposure in the small metro is elevated.
The Regulatory Gap — Parallels to Savannah¶
Brunswick operates under Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD) — the same regulatory framework as Savannah, with the same weaknesses. Georgia has no at-berth vessel controls, no state environmental justice legislation, and no mandatory port emissions reporting.
The Georgia Ports Authority's dual-port system (Savannah + Brunswick) means sustainability initiatives apply across both ports. GPA's $120M+ in federal sustainability grants — allocated primarily to landside equipment — could theoretically be extended to at-berth emissions investment.
Pathways to Action
- GPA dual-port voluntary commitment: GPA's authority over both Savannah and Brunswick creates leverage for system-wide at-berth requirements
- RoRo technology alignment: Auto carriers and RoRo vessels were the original target for CARB-certified barge-mounted capture — making Brunswick a low-risk early-deployment candidate
- Federal EPA Clean Ports funding: $3B program Southeast awards — GPA is eligible for system-wide investment
- Automotive supply chain engagement: Major auto manufacturers (BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, etc.) have Scope 3 emissions commitments applicable to ocean transport
- Superfund integration: Ongoing Hercules and LCP cleanup creates federal coordination pathways
What Comes Next¶
A full site-specific assessment — coordinated with Savannah as a dual-port GPA system analysis — is available through our research services.
- Air Quality Health Units (AQHUs): Learn more →
- Carbon credit methodology: Learn more →
The Opportunity
At-berth emissions capture at the Port of Brunswick could save 2–8 lives per year, prevent up to 30 hospitalizations, and deliver $14–$20 million annually in monetizable health benefits. Brunswick's RoRo-dominated traffic profile aligns perfectly with existing CARB-certified barge-mounted capture technology. Combined with the GPA dual-port system leverage, this is among the most actionable ports on the site for early at-berth capture deployment outside California.
Interactive Dashboard¶
An interactive dashboard for this port — wind rose, CDC PLACES health indicators, EPA TRI facility burden, and at-berth emissions visualizations — is in development and will be released as the port-specific data harvest pipeline comes online.
Dashboard Preview Available
For an interactive dashboard demonstration of the cross-sectional analytical framework, see our two fully-public published assessments — Duluth-Superior and New York/New Jersey — both with embedded NOAA wind roses, CDC PLACES health profiles, EPA TRI burden, and at-berth emissions visualizations.
A site-specific interactive dashboard for this port is available as part of a research engagement.