The ports of Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan are set for expansion and upgrading. With the launch of the government’s Free Economic Pilot Zone (FEPZ), these major ports as well as Taoyuan International Airport and Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park will be enhanced.
Kaohsiung Port is Taiwan’s largest port processing two thirds of Taiwan’s trade. It is a huge port, with 118 berths and 26.6kms of quay length. Approx. eight million TEU (twenty equivalent unit) are moved through this port annually (to put this into perspective Fremantle Port handles approx. 600,000 – 700,000 TEU annually). Even though Kaohsiung port is one of the largest, this upgrade will enable it to handle the next generation of larger cargo vessels.
Along with upgrading the port, the government also plans to upgrade the port’s tugs. The new tugs will replace the older models and will ensure that they are able to handle the larger vessels of up to 10,000 TEU.
Taipei port will also be receiving an overhaul, as it is one of the six ports designated as a FEPZ. Taipei is known as the auto-mobile port, handling a record 88,000 vehicle shipments as of August 2013. This includes more than 36,000 vehicles being imported, and over 51,000 exported.
For more information on the expansions and upgrades, head over to the port of Taiwan website.
image credit: khb.gov source: Cargonews Asia
