The Federal Department of Transportation is launching a 12-month study to determine which U.S. ports will get funding for improved road and railways.

The Port of Savannah is a likely candidate because it’s one of the fastest-growing in the nation. It also receives shipments by land from every state in the country.

Robert Morris with the Georgia Ports Authority says deepening the Savannah Harbor will increase shipping traffic and make easy land access to the port more crucial.

"We’re anticipating in the next 15 to 20 years more than doubling the movement of cargo here and it will take a lot of planning and a lot of focus between state and federal organizations to pull that off effectively."

If approved, the harbor deepening would allow bigger ships to dock and make it one of the busiest ports on the East Coast.

DOT officials say they will evaluate each port based on how much it contributes to the national economy.

Tags: Georgia Ports Authority, Port of Savannah, Robert Morris, U.S. Department of Transportation, Savannah Horbor deepening