News
News
Can the declining world's third largest port regain its glory?
Sep 07,2023
Kaohsiung Port in Taiwan, China, has an excellent geographical location and operational efficiency. It was the third largest container port in the world in 1985 and the third largest container port in the world for seven consecutive years from 1993 to 1999. After that, it retreated steadily and ranked 18th in the world last year.
The industry believes that Kaohsiung Port has repeatedly missed the opportunity to realize direct cross-strait flights due to political factors. The slow construction of the port and the loss of Maersk, the world's largest customer, are all the main reasons for the recession. Now, with the opening of the Seventh Container Center, it is expected to rise to 12th place in the world in recent years.
In the early years, Kaohsiung Port wanted to give full play to its own advantages to develop an Asia-Pacific operation center and an Asia-Pacific transshipment center, but it did not dare to directly promote direct cross-strait flights. It was not until April 19, 1997 that the "Shengda Ship" of Xiamen Shipping Company arrived at Kaohsiung Port. It became the first ship to sail directly across the strait in 49 years. Overseas shipping was originally the first step in direct cross-strait flights, but the promotion was too slow, and then there were policy repetitions. It was not until December 15, 2008 that direct cross-strait flights were realized. In that year, Kaohsiung Port suddenly ranked from the previous year. It fell from 8th in the world to 12th.
In addition, it took 40 years before and after the relocation of Hongmao Port in Kaohsiung Port. Maersk, once the world's largest liner company, expressed its intention to invest in the sixth container center to Kaohsiung Port Authority as early as 1999. However, it gave up because the relocation of Hongmao Village could not be solved for a long time. In 2004, it transferred to Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal. In 2007, Songyu Container Terminal was completed one after another. Maersk withdrew its lease of Kaohsiung Port's dedicated terminal in May 2010, and the mainline mother ships were greatly reduced to Taiwan.
Hongmao Port only completed the relocation and demolition operations in May 2006, and the construction of the sixth container center of Kaohsiung Port began in December 2007. Kaohsiung Port was overtaken by Shanghai in 2002 and Shenzhen Port in 2003. Last year, eight ports in mainland China (including Hong Kong Port) surpassed Kaohsiung, including Xiamen Port, which ranked 14th.
In its heyday, Kaohsiung Port's dedicated terminal customers included ten large global liner companies, including Evergreen, Yangming, Wanhai, American Commercial Sea and Land, American President (APL), Maersk, Japan Mail, OOCL, Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Merchant Ship. Later, Maersk and Japan Mail withdrew. American Commercial Sea and Land were acquired by Maersk and Hanjin closed down. Fortunately, France Dafei, which acquired APL and acquired APL, there are now only six shipping companies.
Last year, some scholars pointed out that although Kaohsiung Port has a good geographical location, it has missed development opportunities and prompted competitors to develop the port. When others come first, it is unrealistic to let the shipping companies come back and seek fish from trees. They even expect to transfer goods. Because other ports are completed and the cargo hinterland is supported, the dream of transferring goods becomes a phantom.
At that time, retired senior officials of the Taiwan Port Corporation also pointed out that Taiwan's industry has transformed into high technology, with small products and high value, and it is not easy to increase throughput. The geo-economic development and transformation, the volume of goods, transportation patterns and purposes have changed, the economic sector has moved, environmental protection factors, etc., to expect Kaohsiung Port to have the glory of the past, can not be expected, repositioning is more practical.
The opening of the Seventh Container Center of Kaohsiung Port on May 1 this year and the opening ceremony on August 14 gave Kaohsiung Port a new opportunity. The center is jointly invested and built by Evergreen Shipping and Taiwan Port Company. Evergreen expects the loading and unloading volume in Kaohsiung Port to rise from 3 million TEUs last year to 3.5 million TEUs this year. The throughput of Kaohsiung Port will increase by 9.8 to 10.42 million TEUs.
Kaohsiung Port estimates that if all the seven container terminals are put into operation in July next year, the total handling capacity of Kaohsiung Port is expected to reach 1150-12 million TEUs, and the global ranking will have the opportunity to rise to 15th. When it reaches 14 million TEUs, it will have the opportunity to reach 12th in the world, but it is estimated that it will be more difficult to enter the top 10.
Successful ports have their own secrets, but declining ports are often very similar. As a world-class container port, Kaohsiung Port, like Japanese ports, not only gathers local sources of goods, but also attracts a large number of transshipment goods, which is a regional hub. However, after port policy mistakes and industrial transfer, it has been difficult to catch up with the rapid rise of Chinese mainland ports. While watching whether Kaohsiung Port can recover, we should also think about how to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Disclaimer: where not marked "original" and other words are derived from the network in good faith reproduced, copyright owned by the original author! After being collected and sorted out by the editor, I will share my study with you! If there is infringement, please contact delete.
For professional freight forwarding services are also welcome to contact oh ~
Previous Page:
Make global trade unimpeded
Contact Phone
Contact Us
Copyright ©Guangzhou Hongdex International Logistics Co.,Ltd
Hotline: 020-84608598
Whatsapp: 18027165010
QQ：2853396538
Email: 2853396545@qq.com
We will provide you with timely feedback
