Kaohsiung Slips to 12th From Top 10 World Container Ports

by yoel Mon May 11 2009, 22:35

May 11 2009

Kaohsiung slips to 12th from top 10 world container ports

THE
Port of Kaohsiung, the largest container terminal in Korea has been
slammed by the economic downturn with its turnover down last year by
5.6 per cent at 9.68 million TEU, compared to year previous 10.26
million TEU according to Taiwan's Ministry of Transport and
Communications (MOTC).

Despite hefty funding for
expansion of wharves and the lifting of the six-decade ban on direct
shipping to and from China in December positions the port has suffered
a drop in container traffic from its world ranking of eight in 2007 to
12th in 2008. However there is optimism that the direct shipping links
will provide competitiveness and volume increases seen in March figures
of 74,000-TEU throughput, said the MOTC in a report from Taiwan's
Central News Agency. Those container ports that maintained global
rankings last year were Singapore with 29.92 million TEU, Shanghai with
27.98 million TEU, Hong Kong with 24.25 million TEU, Shenzhen with
21.41 million TEU, and Busan with 13.43 million TEU. However movers
included Dubai rising from fifth to sixth place with 11.83 million TEU;
Ningbo from 11th to seventh with 11.23 million TEU; and Guangzhou from
12th to eighth with 11 million TEU. Port of Rotterdam held its ninth
place with a steady throughput of 10.80 million TEU, dropping from
sixth the previous year, while Qingdao maintained its position as the
world's 10th busiest container port with 10.32 million TEU. The top
busiest ports in the world remain in China of Shanghai, Hong Kong,
Shenzhen, Ningbo, Guangzhou and Qiangdao.