Kaohsiung sets new handling record

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

27 Dec 2007

Taiwan's port of Kaohsiung has set a new handling record when it surpassed the 10 million TEUs mark on Monday, reports say. The cross into unprecedented territory occurred when Ever Ursula, a container ship owned by Evergreen Marine Corporation, offloaded over 5,000 containers at the port on Monday. The total number of containers handled this year is expected to reach 10.2 million TEUs by year end - an increase of 4.4% from last year, officials at the Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau said yesterday. An expansion project at the port is currently underway to boost the port's handling capacity, which was designed to handle a maximum capacity of 10 million TEUs.The first phase of the construction of a new 16-metre (draft) deep-water container terminal, should increase the port's handling capacity by two million TEUs a year.The first of four 375-metre wharfs is scheduled to be operational by 2011, and the rest by 2013.Kaohsiung port was the world's sixth largest container port when it handled a record 9.8 million TEUs last year.Despite hitting new highs this year, it is unlikely to retain its spot as Rotterdam port has overtaken Kaohsiung when it hits 10 million TEUs in November.