News
Trade ports in South Korea processed a record-high 1.34 billion tons of cargo in total in 2013, increasing 0.8% year on year from 1.33 billion tons, according to an announcement made on Jan. 27, 2014 by the nation’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Container throughput also reached an all-time high, improving 3.9% (890,000 TEUs) from 22.55 million TEUs to 23.44 million TEUs.
Looking at overall container lifting more closely, exports and imports grew a mild 2% (273,000 TEUs) to a total of 13.935 million TEUs, said the same report. Transshipment (T/S) cargo was more brisk, rising 9.6% (814,000 TEUs) to 9.312 million TEUs and contributing to strengthening the overall growth of cargo throughput.
By port, Busan handled 17.675 million TEUs, which hiked 3.7% (629,000 TEUs), thanks mainly to an enlarged volume of containers to and from the Pusan Newport International Terminal (PNIT) by global carriers. The total included 8.743 million TEUs of T/S containers, which went up 7.3% (595,000 TEUs) from 8.148 million TEUs. The improvement of T/S cargo throughput helped the leading container port in South Korea enhance its status as a major T/S hub in Northeast Asia.
Busan achieved the largest growth of cargo handling results among the world’s top five container ports, defending its title as the fifth-busiest container port in the world for the 11th consecutive year.
