The South Korean port of Pyeongtaek, primarily a destination for liquefied gas and ro-ro cargoes, has expanded its container shipping links with the start of another regular liner service connecting it to China.
[s2If is_user_logged_in()]Operated by Chinese feeder operator Hede (Hongkong) International Shipping, the JWP service operates between Pyeongtaek and the Chinese ports of Jingtang and Weifang.
Hede is assigning a chartered ship, the 629TEU Kai Ping, to the weekly service, which departs from Pyeongtaek every Monday, starting 11 January 2021. This followed a pilot run in December 2020.
Primarily a non-vessel owning common carrier, Hede acquired its first ship, the 2003-built 698TEU Tang Shan Gang Ji 1 in December 2020.
Pyeongtaek Container Terminal has nine berths and can process around 1 million TEU annually. The terminal targeted exports to China but since its opening, growth has been slow due to mainline operators’ preference for South Korea’s larger ports, namely Busan, Gwangyang and Incheon.
Many shippers near Pyeongtaek have had to use other ports due to a lack of container services connecting to the port. Including the JWP service, there are now 13 regular container routes calling at Pyeongtaek.
Despite the uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Pyeongtaek’s container throughput registered 9% year-on-year growth to 718,000TEU in the first 11 months of 2020.
Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Port Corporation (GPPC) plans to conduct more marketing activities to attract more containers to Pyeongtaek. GPPC president Moon Hak-jin said, “We will strive to revitalise the port of Pyeongtaek, through cargo incentives and logistics support for small and medium enterprises.”[/s2If]
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Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
