Taiwan’s key container port Kaohsiung is eyeing volume growth as the No. 7 Terminal, which will be operated by Evergreen Marine Corporation, is slated to open in May.
Taiwan International Ports Corporation, the state-controlled port owner, gave a preview of the facility on 24 February.
The first phase, covering S3B to S5 wharves, and some backline sites are expected to be completed on May 5.
The No. 7 Terminal is part of Kaohsiung Port Intercontinental Container Centre Phase II Project Plan that TIPC launched in 2011.
Evergreen has purchased 19 remote-controlled bridge machines and 56 automated rubber-tyred gantry machines for the terminal to improve loading and unloading efficiency.
TIPC added that 11 quayside container cranes and 22 portal cranes arrived at the terminal in January, and Evergreen is scheduled to begin operating the facility on May 9, marking the first phase of operations.
From December to January 2024, eight quayside cranes and 34 portal cranes are expected to arrive to fulfill the second phase of operations, which are expected to start on 1 May 2024.
Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s largest international commercial port, accounting for nearly 5% of Taiwan’s container loading and unloading volume. Evergreen, the world’s sixth largest liner operator, contributes more than 18% of the total container loading and unloading volume of Kaohsiung.
The No. 7 Terminal has five new deep-water terminals with a water depth of 18 meters, with a total length of 415,700 meters, and a hinterland area of 149 hectares.
Kaohsiung used to be among the world’s 10 busiest container ports, but fell down the rankings in 2009 as China underwent economic growth.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
